Mantis .'s Blog, page 4

Moon in Virgo Spread

This spread immerses us in the devotional, sacred service-oriented and healing energies of Virgo and The Hermit. Use at any time, including in the present New Moon in Virgo. What sacred service are you being called to right now? Therein lies much of your liberation.

Tarot Numerology Spread: the Foundations of Four

This spread is a practice material for my Numerology of Tarot self-guided course, now on Patreon.

Number 4 in the tarot is the number of The Emperor, of the 4 of Swords, and also, by reduction, of Death and The Fool. It manifests in the tarot in terms of stability, order, power and rest. This spread connects us to four of the main dimensions of Number 4, helping us rethink and construct good, solid foundations for the time we are going through. Each of the positions refers to one dimension of...

The Hermit & Virgo: Discernment and the Light of Consciousness

Virgo is a highly aware sign, bringing down the light of awareness to the earth plane. Ruled by Mercury, this is a sign known for consciousness of complexity and detail, and for its healing abilities. The Hermit card, in turn, is said to announce the periods of withdrawal and solitude that are often much needed for healing and interior reorganization. In the Smith Waite pack, the card depicts an old man in grey hood and shrouds carrying a lantern lit with flame. The light of the lantern, a symbo...

The Hierophant: the Keeper of Sacred Structures

The Hierophant has traditionally been connected to religious doctrine and social conformity, but also to spirituality and to our inner teacher. One way through which we can upgrade our understanding of the High Priest is to see it as the guardian of our spiritual structures. Our inner realm is a true domain of our being, just like our physical bodies and our minds. Just as we nourish the body, and exercise the mind, so do we care for our soul for optimum living and self-realization. In an ever-c...

The Hanged Man and the Eternal Witness

The mystics of the world have used the “witness exercise” to move beyond body and mind to find the inner witness, which is the transcendent self. In this practice, we continuously return our awareness and our being to the part of ourselves that transcends our thoughts, feelings, body and ego. In tarot, The Hanged Man invites us into that practice. Often associated with surrender, self-sacrifice, and mystical awareness, the Hanged One is immersed in the water element, as indicated by its astrolog...

The Chariot & Cancer: the Power of Moving Waters

The Chariot is widely understood to be ruled by Cancer. Now, that is a tricky correspondence for many tarot practitioners. The association between the kind, nurturing sign of Cancer and the energized figure of The Chariot is not immediately apprehended. But with a little digging, the connections are there. Not only that, this study helps us discover the great power that lies with Cancer.

Cancer, the Crab, is a figure from Greek mythology. As Zeus’ son Heracles battled the Hydra, the giant Cra...

Knight of Pentacles: Air That Moves the Earth

If anyone knows how to move gracefully in the earth plane, that is the Knight of Pentacles. The “Princes” of the tarot correspond with the Air element. Knight of Pentacles is Air of Earth. It makes me think of the earthen structures that are shaped by wind. Have you ever seen those rocks that are carved into incredible shapes by nothing but sand as it is moved by the air? Those landforms and the wind that gives them form remind me of Knight of Pentacles energy. They take time to form, based on a...

Page of Pentacles: When Dreams Begin to Come True

The Page of Pentacles is our inner child that plays and finds delight in the luscious garden of material reality. What differentiates this one from the other Pages is that the Page of Pentacles is touching the earth. All Pages are ruled by the Earth element, so the Page of Pentacles is Earth of Earth. So, it represents an important portal onto realization and manifestation. It is at once the dirt and the sprout. It is a dream in the earliest stages of taking form. Page of Pentacles is our playfu...

Presence through the Eye of the Storm. A Reading for Humanity!

2020 has been a roaring wild ride of a year. The roars that started far away, on the other side of the planet, grew closer and closer until the Lion was roaring in my ear. The shadow of death that started in another world came closer until it was present in my own world. Amidst the growls and the darkness, I was given unparalleled opportunities of growth. Our cards today, Strength and The World, bring us a message about that.

This morning, I was reflecting on the chances for presence and inwa...

2 of Pentacles: Dancing with Impermanence

Water and earth. Heart and body. The inside world and the exterior reality. 2 of Pentacles is an interplay between the two “yin”, feminine elements. This card appears when we find ourselves in situations and phases that necessitate us being both grounded and flexible. These are the moments in which we dance with impermanence while maintaining the full presence of our being. In this card’s receptivity lies immense power. As the great waves of life crash against our shores, we remain grounded like...