78 Tarot Tips for the New Year

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Imagine the cards of Tarot lined up to give you advice for the New Year. First the Major Arcana cards, followed by the Wands, Swords, Coins and Cups suit. Each card considers the wisdom it offers to you, and melds it with the anticipated wisdom of the next card.

Which of following 78 Tarot Tips for the New Year resonates most with you?

Major Arcana

The Fool – Leaps of faith invite magic.

The Magician – Creativity generates intuitive guidance.

High Priestess – Honed intuition nurtures the soul.

The Empress – Abundance benefits from boundaries.

The Emperor – Inner authority begets wisdom.

The Hierophant – Tradition determines our commitments.

The Lovers – Commitment fuels forward movement.

The Chariot – Force submits to grace.

Strength – Courage lends itself to individuation.

The Hermit – Solitude prepares for vicissitude.

The Wheel of Fortune – Fairness is but one setting on the Wheel…and never a guarantee.

Justice – The relentless pursuit of fairness halts progress.

Hanged Man – Reality upends less when practicing non-attachment.

Death – Once the rumbles of transformation settle, balance is restored.

Temperance – When caught between heaven and earth, always side with heaven.

The Devil – Chains explode when illumination dawns.

The Tower – Remove the roof to see the stars.

The Star – Hope is a star navigating us through uncharted waters.

The Moon – Only by embracing the dark can you appreciate the light.

The Sun – Earthly achievement pales in comparison to spiritual fulfillment.

Judgement – What is it to gain the whole world if you forget your soul?

The World – All the world’s a stage, and I am the writer, actor and director of my personal play.

Wands Suit

Ace of Wands – Original ideas and passionate purpose never go unchallenged. 

2 of Wands – As iron sharpens iron, so does one man to another.

3 of Wands – Do it because you love it, not because you expect attention or applause.

4 of Wands – Even the most idyllic neighborhoods host troublemakers.

5 of Wands – Participation in high-spirited fun sometimes leads to unexpected victories.

6 of Wands – Hollow victories are the ones unearned and undeserved.

7 of Wands – When you view people as friends, resolution arrives quicker.

8 of Wands  – Hurrying may lead to delays at best and disaster at worst.

9 of Wands – Choose your battles wisely, for some will lead to even more struggle.

10 of Wands – It’s a sobering moment to realize that most burdens are self-created.

Page of Wands – Usually, necessities are required before great quests are undertaken.

Knight of Wands – Inner Sight often guides trailblazers and renaissance souls.

Queen of Wands – Valuing our Inner Sight helps others to see clearly, too.

King of Wands – Exercising creative muscles often leads to mastery, then benefaction.

Swords Suit

Ace of Swords – First thought, best thought.

2 of Swords – Better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not.

3 of Swords – Going it alone makes for lighter travel.

4 of Swords – Calm focus prepares for activity.

5 of Swords – Healthy competition can pave the way to new discoveries.

6 of Swords – It’s easier to think on your feet when the proper groundwork has been laid.

7 of Swords – It only pays to be fast on your feet if you’re actually heading somewhere.

8 of Swords – A rut is a grave with the sides knocked out.

9 of Swords – A close mind prevents compromise and alliance.

10 of Swords – Forgiveness covers a multitude of sins.

Page of Swords – Harsh words stir up anger.

Knight of Swords – If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.

Queen of Swords – Reviewing in the early stages prevents mistakes later on.

King of Swords – No outcome is ever guaranteed, so go big.

 Coins Suit

Ace of Coins – Jumping through windows of material opportunity may lead to monkey in the middle.

2 of Coins – Balancing tasks on your own time gives you an advantage when collaborating.

3 of Coins – Budgeting wisely protects sweat equity.

4 of Coins – A scarcity mindset perpetuates loss.

5 of Coins – Suffering opens our heart to the struggles of others.

6 of Coins – Giving without expectations erases the need to keep score.

7 of Coins – Taking stock early on makes for less work later.

8 of Coins – Dedicated effort brings personal satisfaction and material reward.

9 of Coins – Enjoying abundance is your birthright.

10 of Coins – Your future isn’t defined by your lineage or the past.

Page of Coins – Tackling chores as they arise creates the habit of completion.

Knight of Coins – Extraordinary discoveries are made amidst caution and care.

Queen of Coins – To feel rich, appreciate the intricacies of the natural world.

King of Coins – How are profits and losses measured in the business of humanity? 

Cups Suit

Ace of Cups – Knowing you deserve goodness paves the way for comfortable intimacy.

2 of Cups – Better to have deep love with one than shallow ties with many.

3 of Cups – Cliques and chicks can prevent beneficial solitary pursuits.

4 of Cups – Familiarity breeds contempt, but sadness results when it disappears.

5 of Cups – Better to regret something you’ve done than something you haven’t.

6 of Cups – Your past doesn’t equal your option-filled future.

7 of Cups – Confidence in your selection leads to enjoyment.

8 of Cups – It’s only a vacation when you’re enjoying it.

9 of Cups – Food is not a substitute for human connection.

10 of Cups – It’s easier to navigate a cold world when love and warmth waits at home.

Page of Cups – Precocity will open the door, but ardency will keep you there.

Knight of Cups – If you can’t have what you want, then want what you have.

Queen of Cups – The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

King of Cups – Provision for games and diversions pays great dividends during lean times.

-- © Janet 


NEW 2018 Tarot Journal Cover 200Have you snagged your 2018 Tarot Journal yet? Instant download at 2018TarotJournal.com. 377 Tarot prompts based on the Minor Arcana--but no deck (or knowledge of Tarot) necessary. Full-color, with 13 bonus spreads at the end. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 


Inspiring Alien Unboxes the Coffee Tarot--All the Way from Finland!

Just finished watching a fun unboxing of our Coffee Tarot on YouTube via Inspiring Alien. Here it is! 

"Death before de-caf". LOL! Isn't she funny?

By the way, to clear up something she said: On our 7 of Air card--that's not an upside down cross...it's an upright sword (because the suit of Air is called Swords in many Tarot decks). 

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Want your very own copy of our caffeinated cards? Visit CoffeeTarotDeck.com or our Etsy Shoppe here.

-- Janet


Naked Tarot Is HERE!

Well...sort of

Actually, it's a dozen author copies of Naked Tarot! SQUEE! Here's some pics:

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To say I'm thrilled would be the understatement of the year. Dodona  Books did a bang up job; I'm so proud (and happy!) to be published by them. 

Alas, the actual pub date for Naked Tarot isn't until September 26, 2018--so you'll have to wait about 9 months to get a copy in your hot little hands. 

As soon as AMZN puts it up for pre-sale, I'll let you know!

-- Janet


2018 Tarot Journal - A Minor Arcana Journey

The Minor Arcana of the Tarot is the least explored cards in the deck (including the Court Cards). I've changed all that by creating the 2018 Tarot Journal: A Minor Arcana Journey.
 
This oversight in most (if not all) Tarot books is unfortunate, because the Four Elements are reflected in the Minor Arcana cards symbolically and practically.
 
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Each suit relates to:

WATER - Cups, chalices, bowls, hearts or other receptacle for holding. It is considered feminine/passive in nature. Colors often used in Water cards are deep blues, aqua and, in some cases, gold (in terms of cup color and preciousness). WATER/CUPS connects with relationships, intuition, feelings, dreams, the unconscious/subconscious, psychic phenomena, empathy, compassion, forgiveness and matters of the heart. Its energy is of a slower nature--steeping, stewing. In ancient Tarot de Marseilles style decks, CUPS was associated with the clergy. In the four-humor model, WATER is sanguine. In terms of Jungian function, WATER is Feeling.
 
FIRE - Wands, batons, staffs or clubs, its phallic shape connects it with the masculine/active. Colors often used in Fire cards are red and orange, sometimes bright yellow. FIRE/WANDS connects with passion, energy, enthusiasm, courage, gumption, vocation, career (as opposed to actual job), and many issues related to the "self" (as in, "self starter", "self propelled", "self possessed", etc.). Its energy is of a faster nature--sudden, and sometimes explosive. In ancient Tarot de Marseilles style decks, WANDS was associated with the peasant class. In the four-humor model, FIRE is choleric. In terms of Jungian function, FIRE is iNtuition.
 
EARTH - Coins, pentacles, disks, crystals, diamonds or other round object. It is considered feminine/passive in nature. Colors often used in Earth cards are greens and browns, sometimes gold (in terms of money). EARTH/COINS connects with the physical realm, such as material possessions, money, job, health, land, home and environment. Its energy is of a slower nature--cautious, methodical. In ancient Tarot de Marseilles style decks, COINS was associated with the merchant class. In the four-humor model, EARTH is phlegmatic. In terms of Jungian function, EARTH is Sensing.
 
AIR - Swords, blades, arrows or spades, its shape is also phallic, and thus masculine/active. Colors often used in Air cards are powder blue, gray, white and at times, yellow (especially pale yellow). AIR/SWORDS connect with the mental realm--thoughts, communication, decisions, beliefs, judgments, clarity of ideas, opinions and so on. Many people believe that thoughts cause suffering, not situations. Thus, AIR/SWORDS is often attributed to arguments, hostility, anxiety and suffering. In ancient Tarot de Marseilles style decks, SWORDS was associated with nobility. In the four-humor model, AIR is melancholic. In terms of Jungian function, AIR is Thinking.
 
I thought a wonderful way to go deeper with the Minor Arcana to explore its symbols and practical insight into our lives was to create a journal dedicated to not only cards 1-10, but also the Pages, Knights and Queens.
 
Some fast facts about the 2018 Tarot Journal: A Minor Arcana Journey:
  • This is a full-color, printable journal that doubles as a calendar. Every week is dedicated to ONE card in the Minor Arcana, with eight lines for writing down your answers. Every DAY includes a journal prompt, with a bonus prompt at the end of every week--377 prompts total.
  • Thirteen spreads for you to use, with full-color illustrations.
  • You do not need to own a Tarot deck to use the 2018 Tarot Journal! Full-color images of every card in our Snowland Deck is provided at the beginning of every week. Prompts are based on the keywords and energy of the card, so anyone can use the Journal with great results.
  • Bonus prompts (52 of them) often ask you to look through your deck or draw a card or cards. You do NOT have to do the bonus prompts if you don't yet have a deck. (You're also free to use any oracle deck or charm-based oracle like our Boyer Charming Oracle, instead). Or, you can visit sites that provide images of all 78 Tarot cards to make your selection. The free website My Divination (click here) lists 133 different decks you can browse through for card selection--including our Snowland Deck
A full year's worth of thought-provoking prompts that will take you through the Minor Arcana, as well as:
  • The highs and lows of your relationships, dreams and feelings
  • The wide range of your attitudes, assumptions and fears
  • The strength of your passion, courage and self-esteem
  • The nitty-gritty of your environment and work, as well as your physical and financial state

May your 2018 be filled with joy, peace and good health--as well as fruitful introspection and conscious creation!

-- Janet


AstroTarot Forecast December 2017

Dec 2017 AstroTarot Banner
What do the cards have in store for you this month? Look for your Sun Sign below to find out! (Or, if you're an Astrology buff, consult your Sun, Moon and ASC for a more in-depth overview). For this Forecast, I used our brand new Coffee Tarot deck (art by my husband, Ron). Grab yours at CoffeeTarotDeck.com (it comes with a hand-sewn bag, .pdf of Keywords and a secret Facebook Group). 

ARIES
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Aries: March 21- April 19 (Nine of Air) –Fiery Aries, you’ve got a lot on your mind this month—but the good news is most of it is in your…drumroll…mind! Seriously, you’re getting yourself worked up into a tizzy about unfounded fears and anxieties. Calm down, slow down, try some Tension Tamer Tea (it totally works—trust me) and relaaaaaax. Ahhhh, doesn’t that feel better? Breathe deeply, and often. Stay centered. Focus on what is good, beautiful and peaceful.

TAURUS
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Taurus:
 April 20 - May 20 (Page of Air) – Earthly Taurus, despite the busy holiday season, this month is a great time for you to start studying something new. You don’t have to go all out and enroll in a college course, mind you (unless you want to!), but you’re unusually curious and open right now. Don’t be afraid to ask pointed questions to those around you, but steer clear of gossip and pettiness (you’ll be tempted to join in the fray). Think childlike—not childish.

GEMINI

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Gemini: May 21- June 21 (Three of Fire) – Airy Gemini, it’s a pirate’s life for you this month. (Just kidding!) Seriously, though, don’t be afraid to imitate our jolly captain by allowing yourself to be absorbed with your favorite hobbies. The ship won’t burn down, you’ll end up circling around to an opportunity once again and others have your back (and duties) pretty much covered. Focus on the adventure of the journey, rather than the destination. ROI will take care of itself.

CANCER

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Cancer: June 22 - July 22 (King of Earth) – Watery Cancer, you may want to consult a financial advisor this month, especially in relation to your business, income, taxes or retirement funds. If you’ve been an emotional spender as of late, you may be surprised at just how much debt you’ve accrued. Continue to be generous to employees and family members, but tighten the reins on personal indulgences. If you’re crying “but I’ve worked so hard—I deserve it!” remember that you also deserve a tidy nest egg for unexpected, large purchases.

LEO

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Leo: July 23 - August 22 (Eight of Water) – Fiery Leo, you tend to like the spotlight—so continuing to do what you’re good at, especially when it earns accolades, seems like a no-brainer. That is, until a yearning to go higher and deeper with authentic living nags at so persistently you can’t ignore it. Your inner voice is getting louder than the crowd’s, so now you face a choice: walk away from a good gig…or continue on until the staleness chokes your creativity.

VIRGO

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Virgo:
 August 23 - September 22 (Knight of Fire) – Earthy Virgo, it’s time to charge ahead with passion, vigor and purpose! Take your foot off the brake, especially if you’ve already received marching orders from wise ones or Spirit. Consistent movement is key to gaining, and maintaining, momentum. It may be tempting to let your cautious nature hold you back, but in the quest for healing, wholeness and all-around mastery, it’s much better to burn, burn, burn!

LIBRA

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Libra: September 23 - October 22 (Two of Air) – Airy Libra, you poor thing! You’re naturally the mediator anyway, but this month finds you in an important diplomatic role (probably seated at the holiday table, preventing bloodshed from relatives arguing about politics, religion or both!). ::sigh:: It sucks, I know, but you’re really good at seeing both sides of an issue—and cascading refreshing baking soda on little familial fires. Stay strong and stay objective. Peace out.

SCORPIO

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Scorpio: October 23 - November 21 (The Moon) – Watery Scorpio, usually you are the enigma in da house. Surprise! This month, you won’t know whether you’re coming or going. Is someone gaslighting you? Screwing with your head? Nah—it’s probably just hormones or the need for more sleep (seriously). Enjoy the darker months, snuggle with copious covers, read fiction and allow your right brain to take over. Trying to force things—any thing—will only make things worse.

SAGITTARIUS

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Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21 (The Sun) – Happy Birthday, Fiery Sagittarius! You’re the complete opposite of Scorpio this month: blazing clarity, certainty and robust health shines radiates from your being. Rise earlier than usual and take advantage of the quietude. If you do, unexpected illuminating insights will descend—amping up your consciousness and nudging your “Stay Woke” meter off the charts.

CAPRICORN

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Capricorn: December 22 - January 19 (Page of Fire) – Earthy Capricorn, instead of working your butt off for the final monthly climb of the year, acknowledge that you’ve already done, and earned, enough. It’s time to get all Anne of Green Gables by acting like everything and everyone in the world is fascinating, amazing and glorious. (Fake it if you have to; the feelings will come). Put the “wonder” back into wonderful—and let your Inner Child run free.

AQUARIUS

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Aquarius: January 20 - February 18 (The Emperor) – Airy Aquarius, don’t wait until January to organize, compartmentalize or finalize. The energy this month gives you an extra “be-in-charge” boost, so you might as well run with it (maybe you’ll get to play next month?). Yeah, adulting can be a pain, but you’re arguably the most “adult” of the entire Zodiac—so it’s basically “expect more of the same”. Relish being an authority figure, because you truly are helping those who look to you as a model.  

PISCES

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Pisces: February 19 - March 20 (Ten of Air) – Watery Pisces, I don’t need to tell you to stay away from needles, weed, pills or drink. But here I am, telling you to stay away from things that will cook your brain and impede your judgment! Coffee is allowed. And tea. And distilled water. Seriously, though, steer clear of anything that over-stimulates this month (including the internet and 24-hour news). You’re better off having your head in the sand…than having your brain fried.

Does the Forecast for your Sun Sign resonate? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

-- Janet


Coffee Tarot Now Shipping!

Our Coffee Tarot (funded with Kickstarter) is now shipping to non-backers!

Coffee Tarot Cover

Deck comes with 78 Cards + 4 Elemental Significators + Hand-Sewn Bag + .pdf of Keywords, plus free access to our secret Coffee Tarot Club Facebook Group.  My husband, Ron Boyer, created all images by hand (watercolor pencil)--co-conceived/formatted by me. We're shipping out RIGHT NOW, so you may want to grab yours to have a lovely, new, innovative deck to use during the winter holidays or to give as a gift.  Cost for everything: Only $59.95. 

Majors Kickstarter Coffee Tarot Earth Suit Coffee Cups Suit Coffee Air Cards Coffee Tarot Coruts
International folks, please add an extra $25 to your order. You may PayPal your order to http://paypal.me/boyercreations or go through http://CoffeeTarotDeck.com (where you may also see all the completed cards). A true labor of love we're thrilled to bring to the cartomantic community!

-- Janet


10 Questions for Tarotist Sasha Wieczorek

Sasha Headshot

1. What’s your favorite breakfast food? That's a tough one! Breakfast is my favorite meal! If I want something sweet nothing is better than a bowl of Special K with the chocolate bits in them. If I need something that will stick with me through lunch I make a pepperoni fried egg sandwich on an English muffin. If I want to get fancy I add salsa and avocado.

2. Book you’d like to give everyone (or wish they would read)? I wish there were a complete book of mythology that would cover stories from all over the world. It's fascinating to find the similarities and appreciate the differences of each culture.

3. What makes you laugh? I don't take myself too seriously so many things can make me laugh. My top 4 things are British comedy, satire, kid humor and dark comedy. Some of my favorite TV Shows are The IT Crowd, Mad TV, Black Adder and Fawlty Towers. I also love the humor my son and his friends share. It's odd, insightful and filled with fart jokes. He's 9.

4. Song that never gets old: I've been recovering from surgery lately and my energy level has been really low. Mainly been playing a video game called Skyrim. The theme music is beautiful and I will never grow tired of listening to it.

5.Drink of choice: Morning: Coffee with Nesquick chocolate. Any other time than morning: Mexi Coke.

6. Would you rather be hot or cold? Cold. Then I get to put on a sweatshirt to warm up. I love sweatshirts.

7. Mountain, beach, desert, or forest? My preferences change as I grow older. As a kid I would say beach. It's a great place to play and discover new things. In my teens and twenty's I was all about the serenity and balance of the forest. Now, the mountains call to me. They speak of adventure of the ascent as well as the peace of the forest. I suppose when I'm a crone I'll crave the desert. It will warm my bones and whisper of lost ways of life to be rediscovered.

8. Favorite color? I don't have one but surround myself a variation of greens, blues, and purple. In the past much of my wardrobe has been purple. At least, since my son was born. Now it's shifted to aqua and royal blue.

9. Best movie line: There are so many! One that comes to mind is from the Dark Tower. Roland is in the hospital at keystone earth and the doctors are flabbergasted at his ability to move despite all his ailments. His simple response? "I'm stronger than most." Understatement of the year! I had the opportunity to repeat this line in the recovery room last week. It was about an hour after surgery and I really had to pee. The nurse fully expected me to fall on my rear when getting out of bed, the anesthesia had just worn off. Instead, I got up and walked right past her and over to the bathroom. She had to keep up with me. I turned and said in my best Idris Elba voice, "I'm stronger than most"...then snickered the rest of the way to the bathroom.

10.Last thing you splurged on? Oh let me see, I really haven't... Just kidding! I took a trip by myself this summer to the west coast to learn mounted archery. It was a 4 day weekend and one of the best times of my life.

Bonus Q: How is leatherworking similar to working with Tarot? When I'm creating something, especially something custom, I will enter the same state of mind as I do when reading tarot. It's a type of calm where everything comes together. I don't fight or try and shape what's going to happen, just follow the energy to see where it goes. I'll have a design that I've created in my conscious mind but the actual work is much more intuitive. That same intuition and calm comes over me when I read. I can see the overall meaning of the cards as they are drawn, the more I talk or write about them the clearer and more specific the message is.

Bio: Sasha Wieczorek is a leatherworker who lives in Minnesota with her husband, son, and goofy little pug cross, Bullet. She creates custom leather horse tack, leather cuffs, cell phone holsters, guitar straps, backpacks, and tarot bag charms under the company name Wild Riders Tack & Leather. Visit her online shoppe aEtsy or follow her on Facebook


10 Questions for Tarotist Deborah Lipp

Deborah Lipp

1. What’s your favorite breakfast food? My favorite food in the world is a Jewish breakfast spread: Bagels, lox, whitefish, sable, bialys, fresh cream cheese, tomatoes, and onions.

2. Book you’d like to give everyone (or wish they would read)? Hard to narrow down, but the book I’ve given away most often is When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner.

3. What makes you laugh? My spouse, Melissa, has an uncanny ability to crack me up.

4. Song that never gets old: "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" by the Police

5. Drink of choice: Black coffee or a mojito, depending on the time of day.

6. Would you rather be hot or cold? Hot

7. Mountain, beach, desert, or forest? I’m drawn to the desert, but Melissa’s favorite place is the beach, and so that’s where we always go.

8. Favorite color? Pink. I’m very girly.

9. Best movie line: “I don’t remember yesterday. Today it rained.” -- Three Days of the Condor

10. Last thing you splurged on? I pre-ordered two books yesterday: What Happened by Hillary Clinton and Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance, and Revolution in Trump's America edited by Samhita Mukhopadhyay and Kate Harding

Bonus Q: How does Tarot enrich your inner world? I tend to use Tarot as an outer tool; I’m very much of the school that uses Tarot for readings, as opposed to for meditation or inner work. Not that it can’t do both! So the biggest way that Tarot has always enriched my inner world is by giving me such confidence. Every time I pick up a deck, I know I can read it, and that centers me and makes me feel so whole, and so much myself. I feel like Tarot and I are telling a story together, and that sort of sharing is what I want to give to the reader of Tarot Interactions.

Deborah Lipp’s most recent books are Magical Power for Beginners and Tarot Interactions. Her earlier works include: The Study of Witchcraft, The Elements of Ritual, The Way of Four, The Way of Four Spellbook, Merry Meet Again and The Ultimate James Bond Fan Book. One of these things is not like the other. 

Deborah has been teaching Wicca, magic, and the occult for over 30 years. She became a Witch and High Priestess in the 1980s, as an initiate of the Gardnerian tradition of Wicca. She’s been published in many Pagan publications, including newWitch, The Llewellyn Magical Almanac, PanGaia and Green Egg, and has lectured on Pagan and occult topics on three continents.

As an active “out of the closet” member of the Pagan community, Deborah has appeared in various media discussing Wicca, including Coast-to-Coast radio, an A&E documentary (Ancient Mysteries: Witchcraft in America), television talk shows, and the New York Times.

In “real life” Deborah is a Business Analyst. She lives with her spouse, Melissa, and an assortment of cats, in Jersey City, NJ, three blocks from a really great view of Freedom Tower.  Deborah reads and teaches Tarot, solves and designs puzzles, watches old movies, hand-paints furniture, and dabbles in numerous handcrafts.

Visit Deborah online at DeborahLipp.com and follow her on Twitter @DebLippAuthor.


Coffee Divination and Dream Symbolism

How many java junkies out there?

You, too?

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Coffee Tarot's Version of the Judgment Card


Tasseomancy

While a cup of coffee may be a simple symbol for a morning wake-up call, it’s possible to glean information from this beloved brown elixir. This oracular practice is known as tasseomancy or tasseography.

There are several ways to use coffee for divination:

1. Notice the steam that rises from a freshly poured cup of hot coffee. What shapes do you see? What impressions do you get? Take note and write down your observations for further contemplation.

2. After pouring hot, freshly-brewed coffee in a cup, add some liquid creamer or half-and-half. Watch closely as the milky liquid “blooms”. What images form before your eyes?

3. Instead of pouring creamer in a still cup of coffee, take a spoon and swirl it around first—then add the liquid half-and-half. Record the designs emerging from this undulating mystical palette. What might the Universe be saying to you?

4. Tasseomancy usually involves Turkish coffee, which starts with Arabica beans ground even finer than espresso. When a friend of mine would go to a coffee shop that sold whole bean coffee, she’d always get raised eyebrows when asking for “Turkish grind” (that stuff is strong). She swore her coffee lasted longer that way. However, true Turkish coffee is more than just a fine grind: it’s also unfiltered. Brewing is easy: take a few teaspoons and put it in a small pot (the Turks would use a long-handled copper pot called an ibrik). Add a cup or two of water. You can also add sugar, too, if you prefer sweetness. Boil for several minutes. Take the pot off the heat. Cool for a few more minutes. Pour into your favorite cup or mug. Enjoy—but stop when you get close to the bottom so you don’t drink the grounds. Swirl around the muddy remains. What do you see? Jot down what comes to mind. Here are some symbols and what they could mean should you see them in your coffee grounds (above all, always use your intuition—and common sense):

Airplane, Boat, or Train:  An upcoming trip

Horseshoe: A sign of good luck

Branch or Twig: Social activities; fleeting friendships

Clouds: Wishes coming true; wishful thinking

Coins: Monetary prosperity

Ear: Good news

Lamp: Guidance and understanding

Hand: Assistance and help

Eyeglasses: Study the situation thoroughly; needing to see more clearly

Moon: Secrets; using intuition Mountain: An obstacle or challenge Heart: Love and passion

Knot: An argument; relationship trouble

Kite: Aspirations; high goals

Lock: Something to be solved or opened

Tear Drop: Disappointment or sadness

Numbers: Could mean a birthday, day, month, apartment number, etc.

Letters: Could represent the first letter of someone’s name relevant to the question

Octopus: Overwhelm; too much to do

Volcano: A situation about to erupt, especially involving someone with a fiery personality

Water: Intuition; cleansing

Zebra: Lack of certainty; double-mindedness

World Cafe 400
Coffee Tarot's Version of The World


Coffee Dream Symbols

If you dream of coffee—or anything related to the Holy Bean—your subconscious may be trying to tell you something. Or, if you’re inclined to experience prophetic dreams, you may be glimpsing the future.

Here’s what The Ultimate Dictionary of Dream Language by Briceida Ryan advises:

Coffee – Trust your instincts regarding a love affair. You will soon receive a marriage proposal if this is what you desire.

Coffee Maker – During your quiet times you will be able to develop successful plans.

Coffee Shop/House – You will enjoy brunch with someone you have wished to spend time with. This will develop into a greater relationship. Within two days, you will also begin to feel younger, will develop new vigor and greater self-esteem.

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In her book In Your Dreams, Mary Summer Rain decodes these symbols as:

Coffee – Stands for persevering energy; that which enriches one’s motivations.

Coffee Beans – Depict the freshness of renewed energy; sparked motivation.

Coffee Grounds – Signify the negative aspect one leaves behind after being re-energized.

Coffee Klatch – Pertains to the emotional uplift brought by sharing restful, energizing times with others.

Coffee Mill – Refers to an aspect that has the capacity of energizing one.

Coffeepot – Illustrates a brewing situation and may indicate a percolating condition within self that advises of a rest period.

Coffee Shop – Exemplifies a rest period and the need to choose a specific manner for same.

6 Air 400

In my absolute favorite dream book, A Stream of Dreams, author Leon Nacson writes this about coffee symbolism:

Someone related a dream to me recently that left him mystified. In the dream, he gave birth to a cup of coffee! Interestingly, the birth coincided with the arrival of a new baby, his first.

Coffee is a stimulant, yet it’s also associated with having a “break”—sitting back, relaxing, and taking it easy. The dream my friend had is directly associated with his child, who’s going to provide him with a lot of fun and an excuse for a time-out, bit is also going to be a stimulating challenge.

Decided whether the coffee in your dream is stimulating you, and if so, what is it stimulating you to do? Or is it telling you to take a break and chill out? Where did you get the coffee? Home, work, or a partner? Are you being stimulated by, or do you want time off from, home, work, or your partner?

Is the brew too hot to swallow, too cold to enjoy, or just right, the aroma awakening your sense of smell and satisfying your desires? You answer will indicate how you’re experiencing life at the moment. Is the coffee you’re drinking instant, indicating that you want a quick fix? Is it espresso, indicating that you’re under extreme pressure? Or is it percolated, indicating that you need to slowly mull over and think out whatever it is you’re doing?

If you ordered a half-decaffeinated, half full-strength latte with a twist of lemon in your dream, does that indicate that you want it all?

Nine of Water 400Interesting, huh? I bet you’ll never look at coffee—or any symbolism associated with it—the same way again.

What about you, dear readers? Have you ever performed tasseomancy? Or have had your coffee grounds (or tea leaves) read? How was your experience? What about coffee dreams? Do share!

Speaking of coffee divination, my husband and I are creating a Coffee Tarot: Grande Edition that’s now on Kickstarter! Visit our project at this link and watch the video below (only FIVE days left!).

 

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Doreen Virtue and her Conversion

Well!

Some portions of the online cartomanic world is aflutter over Hay House author Doreen Virtue's renouncement of Tarot cards, archangels and "pagan" gods--genres that she has profited from.

Doreen v
But, but...our Snowland Deck!

 Here's what I wrote on Facebook:


1. She can do anything she damn well pleases with products bearing her name. You're not the one who was part of their creation so you don't get a say in the matter.

2. Her religious conversion is her business; we can't know the whole story (although cartomancers LOVE to speculate on the lives and motives of authors/artists in the Mind/Body/Spirit genre).

3. She made a shitload of money because of savvy marketing and creating products that filed a need.

4. She can choose to denounce past products and forfeit profits. A part of personal growth is change, not consistency (its antithesis).

5. If you feel "grieved" or "angry"--whose fault, and problem, is that? Maybe you need to examine why you put so much faith and emotion in a person you don't even know.

6. No one forced people to buy her products, attend her workshops or get certified as an Angel Reader. Any disappointment is theirs to bear.

7. Using discussions about DV to (once again) pull out the knives on someone who's fallen out of favor with cartomancers--lost "darling" status--is not surprising...but it is disgusting. The self-righteousness!

8. Let's see YOU create products, a business, a brand. What's that? You don't know how? You don't get a say, either.

9. Everything you hurl towards DV? Turn it around. Ask yourself "How am I like that?"

All this...kerfuffle? This is what is known as a "Tower experience" in Tarot.

Removal Blog
Snowland's version of The Tower card. Yep, that's Ganesh on his hoodie!

 Wait...you thought the The Tower was only for catastrophic illness, hurricanes or job loss?


Tower experiences are "bolts from the blue" that shake our world--usually, the world of belief.

Yeah, belief.

Anything that can be shaken will be shaken (to paraphrase the Bible). That is, you have a house built on sand...it's gonna topple eventually. (My major was in Christian theology! Sue me for the references!)

But wisdom is wisdom is wisdom.

And, now that Doreen Virtue has suddenly fallen from The Sun to The Devil via The Tower (in some people's eyes)--allow me to remind you that our eyes are best focused in the mirror (IMHO).

You know...that mirror found on the glassy, still surface of the Ace of Cups. After all, it may very well be what's inside the blasted tower (read my post from 6+ years ago on this very topic here).

I'll have more to say on this topic (a lot more)...but for now, I have a Coffee Tarot Kickstarter to work on.

Thanks for reading!

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Some Favorite Recent Coffee Tarot Images

We always update our Coffee Tarot site and Facebook page with the most recent card images, but I thought I'd share a few here. Ron has only 0 images left to illustrate--7 Fire cards and the backing--as well as a recently unlocked Stretch Goal bonus card: BRAINSTORM. (All the deets on our Kickstarter page here).

And, I'm hard at work on the print companion book; over 5K words into it already, in fact!

Some of my favorite cards from the last few months:

2 of Earth 400
Look at this barista juggle!
4 of Water 400
Don't know how DaVinci would feel about God creating coffee like this, but...I think it's pretty darn cool!
6 Air 400
Guess the molecule. Go ahead, I'll wait.
8 of Earth FINAL 400
Oh, to have a Latte Pro 8.0!
7 Air 400
Strategy, ya know? Love this card. The 7 of Air gets a bad rap (which shall be rectified!)
2 of Fire
So odd...that practice of putting coffee in a saucer to cool and THEN slurping it.
10 of Air 400
Wait...I know this guy!
6 of Fire 400
OMG Halloween. HALLOWEEN.

Hope you enjoyed this little update. If you like what you see, head on over to our Kickstarter page here to back our Coffee Tarot project (please and thank you!). 

ICYMI, below is a vid of Ron and I talking about our love for Coffee--and this deck.

-- Janet


2017 International Tarot Day Deck Now for Sale

At last, a labor of love is completed!

Circle with URL
I and dozens of other artists from around the world contributed to the very first International Tarot Day Deck. You can see all the cards and read the bios of everyone here. To purchase this vibrant, innovative deck, click here. (It's priced affordably because we didn't make this deck for profit--we did it for the love of Tarot).

It was an honor to be a part of such a wonderful project--and work with amazingly talented and professional artists. Great job, everyone!

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Coffee Tarot: Grande Edition Kickstarter Launch!

We've launched our Coffee Tarot: Grande Edition on Kickstarter!

Come on by this link to check out the goodies--and make sure you watch the video above. Thanks so much!


10 Questions for Tarotist Ivan Ambrose (Tarot Prose)

AvatarIvanAmbrose
1. What’s your favorite breakfast food? A big ol’ plate of bacon.

2. Book you’d like to give everyone (or wish they would read)? The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963

3. What makes you laugh? Tarot Memes

4. Song that never gets old: "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas

5. Drink of choice: Colombian Coffee, vanilla creamer, and three sugars

6. Would you rather be hot or cold? Cold

7. Mountain, beach, desert, or forest? Forest

8. Favorite color? Green

9. Best movie line: “She doesn’t even go here.” - Mean Girls

10. Last thing you splurged on? The Ostara Tarot Pre-order

Bonus Q: How do you navigate the challenges of being a "double" minority? It is exhausting living in a world where there are people who judge me and hate me for who I am. For the longest time, I allowed the hatred and ignorance of others to define me until I decided it was time for me to finally love me and everything that I am. It was at that moment that I made the conscious choice to not allow the challenges that I face daily to hold me captive. I also refused to be silenced. Each day I wake up queer, black, proud and that much stronger.

Bio: Ivan is a queer person of color who is a lover of creative writing, photography, and tarot. Ivan runs the website www.tarotprose.com where they explore tarot through the lens of poetic prose.


Sweet and Sour Tarot - Ace of Swords

It’s time for another edition of Sweet and Sour Tarot! For the uninitiated, click here to find out what in the hell this is all about. Click here to see the first installment on the High Priestess.

The short version: Our Snowland Deck is the “sweet” in this equation. Our colleagues’ Twisted Tarot Tales Deck (by James Battersby and Christine Aguiar) is the “sour” part. I compare and contrast these very different cards showing the powerful and illuminating continuum Tarot spans…sometimes, to the “outer limits”.

In fact, in the engaging companion book to the Twisted Tarot Tales, James and Christine reference the old black and white TV Show The Outer Limits—particularly the introductory monologue which admonishes the audience not to touch the screen settings, because “they” are in control of the TV—regarding the Ace of Swords.

Sweet Sour Ace Swords

It’s this issue of control (or lack thereof) that James tackles with one version of the Ace of Swords: a surgeon in the foreground, holding a bloody scalpel—and an  operating room in the background faded into “deep focus” (a cinematic technique that, according to James, Orson Welles was famous for using in the  movie Citizen Kane).

In our Snowland Deck, we see a crowned snowman reaching towards a huge, sharp icicle offered from a cloud. Four colorful balloons swirl about in the sky.

From the companion book to our Snowland Deck:

Ace of Swords Jumbo FONTKeywords: Sharp Clarity; Piercing Insight; Lofty Idea; Single Minded; Razor Wit; Burst a Bubble; Just the Facts; Cold Logic; Truth

Intuitive Questions:

What piercing truth do I need to confront?
What assumptions need bursting?
How can I gain clarity?
How might I narrow my focus?
What is now clear to me?
In what area of life do I need to be single-minded?
What are the facts?

Although the snowman in our cards is “sweet”, the implications of that sharp icicle may not be: what happens if it gets too close to one of those balloons?

And what does the icicle represent?

It represents the truth—the cold, hard truth—that may very well “pop” the lofty ideals (and ideas) floating around the ether…even (or especially?) the pretty,  innocent looking ones.

The snowman in the pictures, crowned with a love for truth, reaches towards the icicle.

Will he be the one popping the balloons—or will it come from the human hand? Or do any of the balloons even need popping on this clear wintry day?

Until individuals are ready for truth—to see things as they really are, without any spin—most prefer ignorance at best and willful self-delusion at worst.

Why? Wouldn’t humanity want to see things at face value?

Not necessarily. To see things as they are, to embrace what is, would require, for most people, change—something humans are notoriously afraid of.

And why are people afraid of change?

Because they can’t control it. Better the devil they know than the one they don’t.

This brings me back to the Twisted Tarot Tales version of the Ace of Swords, where James and Christine tap into this deep-seated fear of loss of control.

Twisted Ace Swords 400James writes:

Not having control of my perception is a frightening concept. I am an Air sign—I like to be in full control of my mind at all times. So, when I was thinking of what makes me fearful, and how it could to the Swords suit, I thought about receiving anesthesia before going under the knife. I hate that loss of control and the nagging questions that plague me hours before an operation: "What if something goes wrong and I wake up mid-procedure…or not wake up at all?” Another horrific idea: someone or something controlling your mind—via chemicals, the government propaganda or mainstream media.

Every time I have an operation, the idea of a drug controlling my consciousness makes me uneasy. Seconds before you go out, everything beyond the surgery lamp and doctor disappear in deep focus. That is the last thing a patient remembers before he enters into a deep sleep. Initially, when we introduced the concept for this card, some people thought it was creepy. People like to feel in control.

When I look at this card, I don’t see a sinister surgeon. I see a determined specialist who has cut out a cancerous tumor (or gangrenous piece of flesh) in order to save the patient.

Sometimes, like a scalpel, truth needs to cut away the disease of assumptions and faulty reasoning in order for psychological wholeness to result.

The patient’s well-being depends on it.

In the companion book to the Twisted Tarot Tales, two keywords provided for the Ace of Swords are Focus and Clarity of Mind—meanings shared by the Snowland Deck version of this card.

For this to occur there must be singularity: the mind cannot be distracted by cute balloons. The body cannot be threatened by life-eating disease.

Something will need popped. Or cut out.

Interestingly, James and Christine created two versions of the Ace of Swords card. The one from the official deck shows a crime scene—a homicide—that’s being processed by forensic specialists (we can see numbered tags surrounding the bloodied body, as well as a knife).

And one of the intuitive questions posed by this card as mentioned in the Snowland Deck companion?

What are the facts?

Just like straight-shooting Sgt. Joe Friday from another old black and white TV show (that aired a few years before The Outer Limits--Dragnet) often said: Just the facts, ma’am. Just the facts.

To read my review of the super-awesome Twisted Tarot Tales Deck, click here. To visit James and Christine’s site, click here. To see a frosty video featuring our Snowland Deck, watch below.

Dobelli 200Now…do you want to embrace that big-ass icicle of truth? Or care to do some serious cognitive forensics on your mental “crimes”? Or crave seeing without assumptions, confirmation bias or faulty logic?  Then I strongly recommend reading The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli. It will shake your world (or, at least, the flawed cognitive foundation you’ve laid in your brain).

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5 Things Web-Based Pro Tarot Readers Need

Rework 160 After performing online Tarot and intuitive readings for over a dozen years, I’ve come to realize that there are five things you need to have in order to have a visible, thriving business.

As the iconoclastic business book Rework affirms, "A business without a path to profit isn't a business, it's a hobby." Here are five concrete steps towards paving a path to professional Tarot reading business that stands out and attracts clients.

1. Web presence – You need to have a home-base where you can point potential clients. Web-based Tarot readers no longer need pay exorbitant fees for a classy or inviting website. In fact, knowledge of html isn’t even required to get your business up and running within 24-hours.

Web One company, Homestead, uses “drag and drop” WYSIWYG technology, meaning you don’t need to know html to use it (although knowledge of basic coding can enhance your web presence by embedding widgets, videos, social media tools and more). For less than $30 a month you get a downloadable SiteBuilder that allows you to edit your website online or off. And the good news is that if your computer crashes, no published material is ever lost. Even better, Homestead will create custom PayPal buttons for all your services.

However, it’s just as viable to use a blog as your web presence, often for free. Wix.com, Blogger and WordPress are a few examples. Blog sites like TypePad (what I use) provide custom templates or drag/drop Nimble formats, and have affordable subscriptions should you want to trick out your blog beyond a simple, free site.

Web town Beware of hitching your Tarot pro wagon to another organization’s “guild”, “town”, “house” or “portal”, though: if an organization is catering to Tarot pros, then you’re preaching to the choir (and won’t get much business).

Being a windbag touting “growth” doesn’t mean squat; anyone can say anything on the web, doesn’t mean it’s true…especially if they can profit from you and your business via subscriptions). And what is their reputation?

Make sure you have an engaging bio on your website, preferably with a professionally photographed headshot. It’s true that you can use some pretty, mystical picture to represent yourself, but I’ve found that client’s are much more comfortable ordering a reading from someone with actual eyes to look into, a smile to respond to and a physical “vibe” to evaluate. In short, it’s personal and transparent.

Twordle small You can use social media tools (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, InstaGram, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.) to promote your business and engage with potential clients, but only do so when you have the basics covered AND you know how to use social media without sounding like an obnoxious carnival barker.

2. Testimonials page – How will a potential client know if you’re any good? Whether you have actual experience? A Testimonials page will help your skill speak for itself. Ask anyone you’ve ever read for—free or for a fee—to give you feedback on your reading. Every time I send out an email Tarot reading, I say “Please let me know if you have any questions or need any clarification, as well as how accurate you found this reading to be.” Your client’s answer can be a testimonial you can add to your page.

Testimonials If you do this consistently, over time, you’ll have a testimonials page with dozens of recommendations. No only is this the best advertisement for your abilities, but it also gives potential client’s a feel for your style. (For example, do friends, family or clients always commend you for your empathy? Accuracy? Diplomacy? Incisiveness? Pull-no-punches delivery? Practicality? Foresight? Friendliness?) Click here to see how I’ve created my Testimonials page.

PayPal_Seal 3. PayPal buttons – You need to use PayPal or some other system for clients to pay you easily, securely and quickly. If a potential client is debating between two Tarot readers that seem equal, ease of pay may very well be what separates a contemplated order from a completed one. Sign up for a premium account at PayPal.com and, after approval, add buttons to your site. Even if you’re intimidated by trying to copy and paste coding, you can at least list your PayPal email address on your site so clients can send your fee through email.

When setting your fees, make sure your prices are commensurate with your experience. If you’re just starting out professionally, don’t price your readings past $50 (via email) or $.99 a minute (if you read via phone). Get some experience under your belt before you price yourself parallel to the big girls (or boys).

Scales 4. Ethics page – You need to state, up front, what you will—and will not—do during and after a Tarot reading. To get an idea of what an Ethics page looks like, click here to read mine. If you’re up front with the kind of readings you enjoy doing—and the ones you will absolutely NOT do because you’re not qualified or comfortable doing so—you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches by having an Ethics page on your site.

5. Types of Readings Your Offer – Decide up front if you’re going to charge per issue, per question or per spread. Keep your offered readings simple, clear and brief. I can’t stress this enough. If you need convinced, consider this passage, based on experimental data, from one of my favorite social psychology books The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less:

Paradox “A large array of options may discourage consumers because it forces an increase in the effort that goes into making a decision. So consumers decide not to decide, and don’t buy the product. Or if they do, the effort that the decision requires detracts from the enjoyment derives from the results. Also, a large array of options may diminish the attractiveness of what people ACTUALLY choose, the reason being that thinking about the attractions of some of the unchosen options detracts from the pleasure derived from the chosen one.”

Starburst In other words, however you decide to create and price your readings, make your options simple and few—or you may contribute to a “no sale” or eventual “buyer’s remorse”. Click here to see how I’ve structured my readings to give you an idea.

In this economic climate, consumers—your potential clients—want to get a lot of bang for their buck. Make it easy on them to order a Tarot reading—then make sure you over-deliver, exceeding their expectations.

-- Janet 


Nicola Tesla as The Magician

Noah thought Niocola Tesla would make a wonderful Magician card for the 2017 International Tarot Day Deck--and I agree!

400Magician Font
 Noah's explanation: I chose Nicola Tesla to represent The Magician because this extraordinary scientist and inventor helped usher in the electrical revolution, including A/C (alternating current), VTOL military aircraft and radio waves. His theories were revolutionary, and unfortunately, Thomas Edison received much more credit, renown and money than Tesla. Tesla formulated his theories, produced sketches and, in some cases, built actual working prototypes (unlike Edison, who was more physical in his approach, favoring a trial-and-error method).

A voracious reader his whole life, Tesla was a brilliant man who spoke eight languages and used botanical discoveries as inspiration for some of his inventions. He was a bon vivant who enjoyed spending money on stylish clothes and rich foods. Tesla also loved pigeons, feeding them from his hotel room and at parks.

In this image, Tesla stands like many Tarot Magician images, except he's harnessing natural resources and pointing them towards the world: he knew wind and solar power could perpetually fuel the globe. In fact, because the earth is surrounding by electromagnetic fields, Tesla wanted to harness it using his World Wireless System via the Wardenclyffe tower. After construction started, investor J.P. Morgan realized that free energy wouldn't bring any profit to himself, so he stopped funding the project.

To represent the four elements/suits often found on the Magician's table, I chose:

Swords/Air = Tesla Coils. These are narrow, vertical cylinders that conduct electrical impulses, and are found in radios from the 1920s and 1930s. Nowadays, they're only used for demonstrations and exhibitions.

Disks/Earth = Metal Sphere. Tesla held one of these spheres in the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago where he allowed millions of volts to course through his body (he wore a rubber suit). The sphere prevented burning on his hands.

Wands/Fire = Glowing Fluorescent Bulb. Tesla invented this omnipresent light source.

Cups/Water = Beaker of Water on the Bunsen Burner. When Tesla viewed tap water under a microscope, he was horrified and disguted at the sight of all the microbes. After that, he became a germophobe--boiling all water before drinking. He was also a compulsive hand-washer, especially after mingling with crowds and shaking hands.


2017 International Tarot Day Deck

400FINAL ITD BACK
Image by Janet Boyer. Text by Macarena Hurtado

The 2017 International Tarot Day Deck will be for sale soon!

We plan on pricing it close to/at cost since this was a labor of love to celebrate Tarot...not to make a profit.

Stay tuned! 

In the meantime, we would love for you to use our deck images (freely and liberally!) for blog posts, tutorials, spread examples, COTD and forecasts.

We just have a small requirement: please, at the bottom of your post, put Card Images © 2017 International Tarot Day Artist Collective

If you'd like to be invited to a DropBox folder with all 78 cards already sized and titled for you to download, please email Janet at [email protected] with Tarot Day Deck Image Use in the subject line, as well as the preferred email address you want to use for your DropBox folder invitation.

That's it!

Thanks for your interest, and Tarot on!


Creating a Tarot Strength Card

There was a last minute withdraw in the 2017 International Tarot Day Deck, so I stepped in and created a Strength card:

New Strength 400

Janet's Thoughts: Barbed wire, originally invented to contain cattle, can cause severe discomfort or serious injury when trying to pass through or over. It was the most inexpensive way to keep fence them in. Barbed wire was eventually used in combat, especially in front of trenches; you can read about its fascinating history here. In contrast, another type of strength is shown in this image: a fully intact spiderweb. While spiderwebs aren't really as strong as steel as often believed, the tensile strength (the greatest stress a material can withstand before breaking) is comparable to steel. Not only are spiderwebs strong, they are beautiful--making their way into art, sculpture, fashion and design of all types. When this card comes up in a reading, ask yourself: How am I like barbed wire? What's  "fencing me in"? What needs "fenced out"? Or how am I like a spiderweb? What am I "catching"? How am I delicate--yet strong? 

It's a fun challenge to create your OWN Tarot cards, of course, but just about anyone can search royalty-free/free-use image sites to create a Tarot card. It's not only a creative challenge, but helps you clarify how YOU feel about a particular card--and the personal keywords YOU would ascribe to it (as opposed to, say, what a book says are the correct interpretations). 

If you're crafty or love playing with paint/crayons/markers/gel pens and so on, you can create a card from scratch. Who knows? You may even become so inspired, you create our OWN Tarot deck some day!

Have you ever created your own Tarot card? Do share with me in the comments! Would love to see your creation and hear your keywords. 

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Exploring the Tarot Fool Card

Hi all! I'm thrilled to be kicking off the very first International Tarot Day Blog Hop with The Fool card!
 
Fool montage
Images Snowland Deck, Aquatic Tarot and Coffee Tarot

Exploring The Fool

Phrases and Keywords: Carefree; Guileless; Carpe Diem; Spontaneous; Blind Trust; Leap of Faith; Taking a Chance; Innocence; Naiveté; Wastrel; Quixotic; Absolute Trust; Rootless; Risk; Impetuous; Folly; Foolishness; Tabula Rasa; Idealistic; Gullible;  Unbiased; Beginner’s Mind; No-Mind; Living in the Moment; Free; Purity; Impulsive; Clueless; Crazy; Your Face Before You Were Born; Happy-Go-Lucky; Immature; Optimism; Conflict Avoidant; Ignorant; Distracted; Careless; Blissful; Unaware; New Journey; Faith; Childlike; Childish; Reckless; A Few Cards Short of a Complete Deck; A Few Sandwiches Short of a Picnic; Not the Sharpest Tool in the Shed; Present Moment Awareness; The Now; No Responsibilities; Thoughtless; Open-minded; Joyful; New Beginning; Follow Your Heart; Irresponsible; Avoiding Reality; New Adventure; Innocence; Naiveté; Slapstick; Foolishness; Spontaneity; Insouciance

People and Archetypes: Wanderer; Clown; Pilgrims; Harlequin; Wise Fool; Puer Eternis; Satirist; Jester; Hitchhikers; Buddha; Innocent; Child (Magical, Nature, Divine); Dalai Lama; Hobos; Trickster; Comedians; Robin Williams; Martin Short; Jim Carrey; Conan O’Brien; Simpleton; Dummling; Idiot; Madman; Court Jester; Vagabond; Joker; Simpleton; Michael Jackson

Characters, TV and Movies: Gilligan (Gilligan’s Island); Pee Wee Herman; Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream); Peter Pan; Pinocchio; Prodigal Son (Old Testament); Mad Hatter (Alice in Wonderland); Grover (Sesame Street); Buddy Curale (Dick Van Dyke Show); Mork (Mork and Mindy); 3 Stooges; Goofy; Don Quixote; Scarecrow (Wizard of Oz); Roscoe P. Coltrane (Dukes of Hazzard); Ernest P. Worrell; Dory (Finding Nemo); Mater (Cars);  Family Jewels (Jerry Lewis); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure; Fisher King (Robin Williams); Apple Dumpling Gang (Tim Conway and Don Knotts); Grizzly Man (Documentary)

Objects and Actions: Slapstick; Practical Jokes; Whoopee Cushion; Bungee Jumping; Skydiving; Hobo sack

Quotes: Not all those who wander are lost. – J.R.R. Tolkien; Fools Rush in Where Angels Fear to Tread (proverb)

Songs and VideosWhat a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong); Walking on Sunshine (Katrina and the Waves); Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland); Jump (Van Halen); Life is a Highway (Tom Cochrane); Leaving on a Jet Plane (John Denver)

Symbolism

Number 0 – Nothing…or everything. An egg. Pure potential. Lips open in surprise.

Mountains – Where the air is rare, fresh and clean. A place where the altitude can make you light headed or dizzy.

White Rose – Purity

Dog – Instinct. Sometimes, an internal warning.

Cliff – On the edge of something new, about to step from one plateau to another—an action that may entail risk.

Esoteric Correspondences

Hebrew letter: Aleph (meaning = ox)

Elemental Association: Air

Planetary Association: Uranus

Esoteric Title: Spirit of Aether

Intelligence: Scintillating

Path on the Qabalistic Tree of Life: #11 (Kether 1 Crown → Chokmah 2 Wisdom)

Would you like to see The Fool card from over 60 different decks? Visit my PInterest Fool Board here

I hope you all have been enjoying this very first International Tarot Day blog hop! Please visit Nym's Divination blog (the organizer of the Blog Hop) at this link next for some illuminating information about The Magician. Thank you for reading!

15 Ways to Celebrate International Tarot Day

How can YOU celebrate International Tarot Day? Click here to discover some ideas!


The Tower (Naked Tarot Book Excerpt)

Hi all! I'm thrilled to be taking part in the very first International Tarot Day Blog Hop! I trust you enjoyed Trivia at The Crossroad's article on The Devil, and now, we're tackling another challenging Tarot card: The Tower. Below is The Tower chapter from my upcoming book Naked Tarot (NakedTarotbook.com)--out from Dodona Books early 2018. Enjoy!

Tower Montage
Images from the Universal Waite, Snowland Deck and Coffee Tarot

Stripped Down Overview: Your house burns down. Your partner loses her job. The accountant ran off with your life savings. A Hummer totals your Prius. We’re rarely prepared when the lightning shitastic strikes our lives. These bolts don’t always arrive on the wings of material destruction, but rather bloom in our psyche like a mushroom cloud, evaporating worn-out beliefs, demolishing shaky structures and re-routing our trajectory. One thing’s for sure: when this baby blows, there’s no going back to the way things were. The good news is that the destruction of faulty structures you’ve built—either with material goods, misplaced values or incorrect assumptions—leaves a foundation for you to rebuild upon. Make sure that bolt from the blue isn’t in vain by accepting its resulting illumination.

Keywords: Shock; Collapse; Sudden Illumination; Crisis; Disaster; Release; SNAFU; Sideswiped; Godsmacked; Shit Hitting the Fan; Obliteration of Faulty Beliefs; Leveling of Man-Made Structures

Personifications and Embodiments: Tornados; Twin Towers; Father Mychal Judge; Natural Disasters; Lighting Strikes; Demolitions; Dynamite; Dennis the Menace; Tasmanian Devil (Cartoon Character); H-Bomb; The Titanic; The Hindenberg

Quote: The best lightning rod for your protection is your own spine. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Challenge: Evaporation

Gift: Release

Occupations/Vocations: Pyrotechnics Specialist; Stunt Person; Electrician; Demolitionist; Lightning Rod Manufacturer; Telephone Lineman; Crisis Hotline Operator

Disney Totem: Wreck-It Ralph (Wreck-It Ralph)

Animal Symbol: Scorpion

Flower Essences: Rock Rose (Bach); Star of Bethlehem (Bach); Fringed Violet (Australian); Waratah (Australian)

Crystal/Stone: Fulgurite (Sand Tubes Formed by Lightning Strikes) – Fosters awakening. Eases stress. Provides impetus. Helps pull one out of emotional lows. Promotes agility of action and mental acuity.

Aromatherapy: Tarragon

Body Parts/Systems and Health Issues: Seizures; Migraines; Epilepsy

Mystical Messenger – Saint Barbara

Sabian Symbol: Aquarius 2 – An unexpected thunderstorm.

Writing Prompt: At a nighttime carnival, an electric pole crashes.

Affirmation: I can withstand any shock or surprise.

Naked Advice for The Tower

Career: If you don’t get a pink slip first, you may find yourself singing “Take This Job and Shove It” over the company intercom system. Quit now or forever hold your peace, because if you’re looking for a permission slip to burn a bridge, this is it.

Romance: Your husband asks for a divorce. You catch your boyfriend in bed with the landscaper. Your wife announces she’s a lesbian. Cue “The Break Up Song”. But if you happen to be single and unattached, Kundalini lightning will rip from your groin to your crown in a flash of mind-blowing sex.

Parenting: Expect the unexpected when it comes to your offspring. School expulsion, a report card littered with Ds, truancy—if you’ve been embroiled in your own earth-shattering dramas, shockwaves will cascade down the DNA ladder. When grownups play the game of upheaval, it’s the kids that pay.

Spirituality: When a forest fire ravages the land, the intense heat sears open seeds that would otherwise stay sealed and sterile. If there’s a silver lining to this shitty cloud, it’s the flowers that will rise out of the ashes.

Recommended Resources: Lightworker by Alex Grey; Joni (the life story of quadriplegic artist Joni Erickson Tada); Inferno (Movie); “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot

The Tower Card Layout: Smash, Grab and Release Spread

  1. What outmoded belief needs dismantled?
  2. What did I gain from my last Tower experience?
  3. How am I prepared to handle the unexpected?
  4. What needs immediate release?

I hope you all have been enjoying this very first International Tarot Day Blog Hop! Please visit Victoria (Eternal Athena Tarot)'s blog at this link next for some illuminating information about The Star. Thank you for reading!

15 Ways to Celebrate International Tarot Day

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