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He’s the responsible friend who makes you question your poor life choices.
There is an unglamorous reality that lives between the conception of a dream and its manifestation, and most of that reality is the Son of Pentacles. He gets flack for being a stubborn, socially-awkward square, but he’s the one laughing all the way to the bank. Exceedingly diligent, dedicated and focused, there is nothing he cannot accomplish. Sometimes there is boring work required to harness a vision and root it into the ground. But it’s more boring to have a bunch of pipe dreams, unlaid plans and great ideas that die on the vine.
The Earth ...
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She is a force who feels at home on the earth and in her body. She offers no apologies for her enjoyment of the finer things in life, sensual pleasures or prosperity. Staying grounded comes naturally to her, and her physical abundance is matched by her generosity and service.
The Sugar Daddy
The card of CEOs, sugar daddies and presidents, wealth is the defining characteristic of the Father of Pentacles.
An older masculine, he is probably past the height of his career and enjoying the fruits born from a lifetime of hard work.
His distinction, authority and prosperity are a given. He wears it loosely and with ease.
For the Father of Pentacles, to love is to provide for, and a father figure like him means...
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Because of his strong connection to the material world, the Father of Pentacles will falter if his physical resources are compromised. Ill health, financial hardship or family problems will all threaten the foundation of this sturdy masculine. In cases like these, he risks collapse if he does not reach for the immaterial. Emotional support and spiritual connection open doors for further development and expansion.
Do not be rigid about tarot spreads, if you feel like a card wants to say more, or you want to dive deeper into a certain aspect, pull another card. I use spreads as a way of initiating a conversation with the tarot, but the conversation continues over the course of a reading.
When you introduce a spread, pay attention to what the cards look like together, who is facing what, etc. Is a card looking off into nothing? Pull another card. If a dark card appears, I will pull additional cards to dig to the root of the issue. So much of tarot is connecting with your intuition, and this is a place where a formula is constricting rather than useful. With that said, there are some spreads that I have found to be effective jumping-off points when starting a reading.
Everything Spread
This is my most used and trus...
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These moments all exemplify why tarot is more than mere memorization. Ego will get in the way of intuition every single time. Dismantling the ego and learning to trust your intuition is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Opening my heart to my clients and learning to sit with them in their vulnerability and need is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
How will I know when to pull more cards? Any time you feel like you’re about to say uhh or feel a desire to dig deeper into a card’s meaning, pull another card. Any time it seems like there is something more to a story, pull another card. If something doesn’t feel right, pull another card. Don’t be precious about this.
We all have darkness. We may suppress it or hide it or not know how to carry it. It may be foreign to us. It may dominate us. We may have reconciled with it and know how to harness it, but no one is without their shadow. To the contrary, the amount of light we emit is in direct proportion to the size of that shadow. That is a beautiful fucking thing. In our shadow resides our femininity, receptivity, seduction, flow, intuition, sexuality and a large portion of our power. To deny this part of ourselves is to neuter some of our best qualities.
The way I read tarot is not based on future prediction.
They are a way of honestly revealing the energies at play and painting a full picture of someone’s reality. When a dark card presents itself in a reading, I always pull additional cards to show the querist a possible pathway out, or to unearth its roots. That doesn’t mean an instant transition to a lighter place, or that facing it is easy, but that is true regardless of whether cards are pulled for them or not.
Personally, I do not use reversed cards when I read. I believe that the tarot is an extremely accurate and expansive system in its upright seventy-eight card formation and have not found reversed cards necessary.
reversed cards create a disproportionate amount of negative possibilities to positive ones, as they traditionally have undesirable meanings.
Basically, a reversed card is a wonky version of its upright counterpart and often presents as a warning.
Many people find that after beginning to work with their deck, they crave further connection to their intuition and spirituality.
Developing a ritual around using your cards is a powerful way of shifting into a space where you feel prepared to use them. Ritual is defined as an established or prescribed procedure for a religious or other rite, and you can choose your procedure.
smudge the deck with white sage. I light a candle, select crystals I feel are appropriate for the client, and ask them to write their name and birthday on a small piece of white paper. I prefer to pull cards on a solid wood surface.
Crystals by Chakra Root: garnet, black tourmaline, smoky quartz Sacral: carnelian, moqui marbles, shiva lingam Solar Plexus: citrine, pyrite, golden healer Heart: rose quartz, malachite, amazonite Throat: kyanite, larimar, blue lace agate Third Eye: lapis, amethyst, labradorite Crown: clear quartz, selenite
Being a successful reader is contingent upon a strong intuition, with meditation being among the most effective ways to develop it. Regardless of the outlet, meditation is a way of spending unplugged time with yourself. Anything that gets you away from your phone, computer, the constant noise and buzz and low hum of life into your interior landscape will assist in this endeavor. Running, collage, cooking, yoga and gardening can all induce meditative state. The litmus test for the efficacy of your meditation practice is if you can be away from your phone for five minutes without obsessing over
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An altar is simply a dedicated space for the mindful placement of meaningful objects—the visual expression of a desire.
If energy follows intention, then making an energetic investment in the form of building an altar is a powerful act of ritual and manifestation.
William Morris advised, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
Suggested Altar Items Crystals Herbs Photos Notes Tarot cards Trinkets Candles Books Plants and flowers Cards/keepsakes
Smudging is the ancient art of burning herbs, such as sage, to let the smoke purify and bless a space.
Initially used as mystical practice among ancient civilizations, the benefits have since been backed by science. Burning white sage and other herbs releases negative ions, which has been linked to the physical cleansing of a space—clearing mold spores, bacteria, viruses and pollen—as well as its etheric properties.
The alchemy of smudging is one of turning the earth element (herbs) into the air element (smoke), thereby raising a physical experience into a spiritual one.
How to use: In a heatproof container, hold a flame to the tip of the smudge stick until it begins to smoke. Using your hand or a feather, guide the smoke into the corners of your space and along the doorways and windows. If using the smoke to cleanse your cards, hold the cards directly above the stream of smoke, fanning them out to make sure each card makes contact.
for personal use and budgetary considerations, try starting with one that corresponds to a chakra you know you want to work on.
The sun, with is natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties, can be used to cleanse cards, crystals and magic accouterments alike. The moon, with its gentler, ethereal glow, is used to charge. How to use: Place your sacred objects on a windowsill during a full moon or on a sunny day for natural energization, activation and cleansing.
Dance with the cards. Learn how to let something else take the lead. Be soft under their touch. They are just and only you. And you. You are allowed to use magic. It is your birthright. It has always belonged to you.
