Barbara Moore's Blog, page 2
October 25, 2010
Drawing for the Pagan Cats Tarot!
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The Pagan Cats Tarot is a new deck published by Lo Scarabeo. The name on the deck is Magdelina Messina, which is a pen name for yours truly.
This deck will be readily available in the US in January through Llewellyn, Lo Scarabeo's US distributor. However, as the author, I did receive a few advance copies. And I am having a drawing to
see who the lucky recipient will be.
What do you need to do to enter? Easy.
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Kiva.com is a site where people can donate to small businesses or entrepreneurs all over the world. And donate isn't really the right word. It is micro-investing. You can invest in these
people's futures, helping them create their own wealth and stability. Then they pay back the investment and you can take your money back or reinvest. I love this idea.
With Kiva, you can create giving teams. I want to explore this and ...
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
The Pagan Cats Tarot is a new deck published by Lo Scarabeo. The name on the deck is Magdelina Messina, which is a pen name for yours truly.
This deck will be readily available in the US in January through Llewellyn, Lo Scarabeo's US distributor. However, as the author, I did receive a few advance copies. And I am having a drawing to
see who the lucky recipient will be.
What do you need to do to enter? Easy.
[image error]
Kiva.com is a site where people can donate to small businesses or entrepreneurs all over the world. And donate isn't really the right word. It is micro-investing. You can invest in these
people's futures, helping them create their own wealth and stability. Then they pay back the investment and you can take your money back or reinvest. I love this idea.
With Kiva, you can create giving teams. I want to explore this and ...
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
October 19, 2010
Masks & Mirrors Reading
This time of year, Halloween themes float through the air like the colored leaves falling to the ground. It is a time of masks. Masks are fascinating, both to look at and to wear. They hide who we are and allow us to try on different personas. In some ways they eliminate consequences and grant more freedom. Masks let us show the world a different face and allow us to experience life from a different point of view.
The flip side of masks is mirrors. Mirrors are funny things, allowing us to see ourselves and, in theory, reflecting back nothing but the truth. However, it seems that the mirrors we look in often distort the truth—or perhaps it is our own eyes that alter reality.
The relationship between what we present to the world, our masks, if you will, and the image we see in the mirror is complex. This spread looks at what you show the world and what you see in the mirror and explores the relationship between the two.
During these dark days and long nights, it is natural to turn inward and reflect on ourselves—who we are, what we project to the world, and what we wish to project. Your reading using this spread will give you plenty to explore. You will receive further guidance through the journal prompts created specifically for you based on your reading.
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
The flip side of masks is mirrors. Mirrors are funny things, allowing us to see ourselves and, in theory, reflecting back nothing but the truth. However, it seems that the mirrors we look in often distort the truth—or perhaps it is our own eyes that alter reality.
The relationship between what we present to the world, our masks, if you will, and the image we see in the mirror is complex. This spread looks at what you show the world and what you see in the mirror and explores the relationship between the two.
During these dark days and long nights, it is natural to turn inward and reflect on ourselves—who we are, what we project to the world, and what we wish to project. Your reading using this spread will give you plenty to explore. You will receive further guidance through the journal prompts created specifically for you based on your reading.
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
October 12, 2010
The Healing Waters of the Star
The other day, this song, Down to the River to Pray by Alison Krauss, came up on my shuffled playlist. I was on a run, working through some problems (running is often meditative for me). As I lost myself in the beauty of her voice and the loveliness of the song, a meditation based on the tarot appeared—like Athena from Zeus's head—fully formed in my mind.
We all have ideals, a vision of the person we wish we were or want to become. This vision is, or should be, the thing that guides every action we take, every word we speak, and every thought we entertain. If those actions, words, or thoughts do not move us closer to that ideal vision of ourselves, then we should not do, speak, or think them.
But we all fall short of our own ideals. That is, it seems, the point of life, to continue to strive, and to grow, and to learn.
There are times when drama, politics, or old scars impede my vision. They get in the way, so much so that I feel covered in goo and as if slogging through oatmeal. I'm so covered in it that I cannot see my way let alone move forward. I was in such a place when this song came on my iPod as I ran along the lakeshore in the cool early morning air and the warm early morning sun of a spectacular fall day.
Although the song refers to the Christian tradition, thinking of it metaphorically and archetypally, I realized that "going down to the river to pray" was exactly what I needed to do. On the heels of that thought came the image of the Star card. The Star is healing and refreshment—a place to wash the ick off.
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
We all have ideals, a vision of the person we wish we were or want to become. This vision is, or should be, the thing that guides every action we take, every word we speak, and every thought we entertain. If those actions, words, or thoughts do not move us closer to that ideal vision of ourselves, then we should not do, speak, or think them.
But we all fall short of our own ideals. That is, it seems, the point of life, to continue to strive, and to grow, and to learn.
There are times when drama, politics, or old scars impede my vision. They get in the way, so much so that I feel covered in goo and as if slogging through oatmeal. I'm so covered in it that I cannot see my way let alone move forward. I was in such a place when this song came on my iPod as I ran along the lakeshore in the cool early morning air and the warm early morning sun of a spectacular fall day.
Although the song refers to the Christian tradition, thinking of it metaphorically and archetypally, I realized that "going down to the river to pray" was exactly what I needed to do. On the heels of that thought came the image of the Star card. The Star is healing and refreshment—a place to wash the ick off.
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
October 7, 2010
Just for Fun
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Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
October 6, 2010
Create a Meditation Spread
If you know my work, you know that I love to blend tarot and meditation. I also like to blend scent (via candles, incense, or essential oils) with meditation. Using all three together creates a
powerful trifecta, a triple-charged transformative experience.
Here is a spread that allows you to create a loosely guided visual meditation. It is a little unusual on several levels. First, you will need to separate your deck into stacks: the 22 Majors,
the 16 Court cards, and the 40 Minors. Second, you don't exactly "interpret" this spread as a traditional reading. Instead, you use it as an outline for a meditation. After I tell you about the
spread, you'll find a suggestion for a scent to use to enhance your meditative experience.
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
powerful trifecta, a triple-charged transformative experience.
Here is a spread that allows you to create a loosely guided visual meditation. It is a little unusual on several levels. First, you will need to separate your deck into stacks: the 22 Majors,
the 16 Court cards, and the 40 Minors. Second, you don't exactly "interpret" this spread as a traditional reading. Instead, you use it as an outline for a meditation. After I tell you about the
spread, you'll find a suggestion for a scent to use to enhance your meditative experience.
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
October 2, 2010
My interview with The Tarot Lady
Check out my interview with Theresa Reed, The Tarot Lady!
Be sure to check out her other interviews and kick around her site. She is an awesome lady and incredibly skilled reader.
Click!
...
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
Be sure to check out her other interviews and kick around her site. She is an awesome lady and incredibly skilled reader.
Click!
...
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
September 30, 2010
Power of (S)Words
The Power of (S)words—or Manifestation and Tarot
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The book and movie The Secret by Rhonda Byrne popularized the Law of Attraction and the idea of manifesting reality with thoughts. The use of affirmations, popular for
decades, is also founded on similar ideas but focuses on spoken words. In particular, affirmations function on the premise that repeated words gain strength and power and create reality. Repeated
words do gain strength and power. This works for positive statements as well as negative. And it works individually as well as collectively.
This summer, I spent a week with my friend Emily Carding and her seven-year-old daughter, Willow, at their Cornwall home. As seven year olds are wont to do, Willow sometimes
swore. Emily patiently reminded her to use substitute words, such as "sugar" or "fudge" for the common curse words beginning with the same letters. I, being childless, was full of opinions on the
subject. Plus, being all magical, I questioned the point of using substitute words. "If the intent is the same, what difference does it make?" I insisted. Emily, wiser than I, reminded me that there
is great energy behind curse words. These same words have been used for who knows how long for the same ...
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
Tarot for Beginners is in the House!
Last night I got to see the first copies of my new book Tarot for Beginners. I'm so excited about it and have so many hopes for it. Mainly, I hope it does its job: introduce many new people to the joys of tarot. The cover is lovely, don't you think? And my editor, Becky Zins, did an amazing job with the text and the interior design. Because each card interpretation is illustrated with three different decks, it was a lot of work for her. The three decks are the Rider Waite Smith Tarot, the Legacy of the Divine Tarot, and Shadowscapes Tarot. If you want to learn tarot, give my new book a try. Here are some ordering options: Amazon.com ...
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
September 29, 2010
A Harvest Spread
Creating tarot spread is one of my favorite things. So much so that I'm actually writing a book on the subject called Tarot Spreads for Beginners: Understanding, Using, and Creating Tarot Spreads. In addition to spreads, I do love seasonal themes. This month, inspired by the absolutely stellar fall days, I created a harvest-themed spread. My local tarot meet up group was kind enough to take it for a test run. I'm going to publish it here in its original form. However, I am thinking of changing the positions in the second section (cards 6, 7, and 8) to something more neutral. In the meet up, some people got "negative" cards in those positions. It seemed a stretch to make it flow nicely. Perhaps more neutral descriptions would be better. Because, let's face it, not all the consequences of what we sow will necessarily be pleasant ones. You can use this to analyze a harvest you're about to bring in. Or you can use it to forecast the results of possible seeds. But hopefully you'll do me the favor of letting me know what you think after you've given it a try. ...
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2010 Barbara Moore. All rights reserved.
September 20, 2010
Cerridwen's Cauldron
Once upon a time there was a mysterious goddess, or perhaps a witch-it's not quite clear which, who lived on an island in the middle of Lake Tegid. It is said that knowing the name of something gives
one power over it. That might be because knowing a thing's name reveals its nature. Well, the name of this goddess, or witch, is Cerridwen. Knowing that is not likely to give you any power over her.
Nor will it help you understand her nature. The name Cerridwen means someone who is fair and belov...
one power over it. That might be because knowing a thing's name reveals its nature. Well, the name of this goddess, or witch, is Cerridwen. Knowing that is not likely to give you any power over her.
Nor will it help you understand her nature. The name Cerridwen means someone who is fair and belov...
