October 29, 2012 - The Hunter's Moon In Taurus

There are clues and foreshadowings in nature as well as in the pages of a good book.  In stories, a writer uses these devices to heighten the suspense and keep the reader turning the pages until the very end.  As the plot and characters take shape in our mind, we ask ourselves, “Am I I right?  Did I figure out who did it?”  There are plenty of clues this month regarding the strength of October’s Full Moon and they will keep us on the edge of our seats until the 29th.  This month’s Full Moon is at six degrees, forty-eight seconds of Taurus and from all the evidence, we will see a miraculous moon for manifesting our desires.  

On October 29th the Full Hunter’s Moon will preside over our night sky.  The name, Hunter’s Moon, was the name given to October’s Full Moon by Native Americans who, as we still do today, culled out game from the wild herds each autumn.  Fall hunting served two purposes: First, the hunters could put aside extra stores of food and skins for the coming winter and second, the herd would be thinned out and there would be fewer animals lost to starvation when the natural food supply grew meager during the winter months.

The Full Hunter’s Moon is always powerful.  Diana, Goddess of the Moon is also Goddess of the Hunt.  This Hunter’s Moon happens to fall in Taurus and most of the astrologers on the net agree that not only is this an extremely powerful moon, but that it is probably the best moon of the year to practice abundance work through affirmations, meditations and good, old fashioned financial reviews.  Look at your stock portfolio.  Are you considering a change in investment strategy?  The 29th is a great time to implement that change.  Some astrologers have even dubbed October 29th as “money maker day.”  Let’s take a look at why.  

We can turn to tarot’s Major Arcana (meaning “big secret or mystery”) for confirmation of the sort energy that will be flying around us on the night of the Hunter’s Moon.  Taurus is an intensely spiritual sign and its corresponding tarot card is #5, the Hierophant.  What a surprise. The Hierophant is the corner stone of faith and spirituality in the Major Arcana.  His influence means that Taurus is no fair weather friend.  A Taurus is always “in it to win it.”  Like the Hierophant, they appreciate structure.  Safety and security are the linch pin of a Full Moon in Taurus and people born under the sign of the bull like their comfort.  Make that luxury.  Taurus can sense an opportunity a mile away and they have the discipline to see a venture through to a successful conclusion.

Venus rules Taurus and the Major Arcana card for Venus is none other than #3, The Empress.  The Empress is the very essence of abundance and luxury.  She is depicted as perpetually pregnant, wanting for nothing and giving life to our ideas and ventures. Her energy nourishes and supports us.  Taurus is an earth sign, aligned with tarot’s suit of pentacles.  While both Taurus and The Hierophant like their luxury, they also have a down to earth practicality that helps them focus in the real world.  Pentacles are about the material - money, goods, career and health.  What happens when we combine the abundance of The Empress, the faith and structure of The Hierophant with the sign of Taurus?  We have the perfect seeds for manifesting. Disease and rot resistant.  

It’s important to remember that the moon loves to be in Taurus and she is very high-functioning within that sign.  No wonder.  The Full Moon is guided by #2 in the Major Arcana, The High Priestess.  The High Priestess represents instinct, intuition and unconscious thought.  In the RWCS deck, she’s depicted wearing none other than the crown of Isis (or Hathor, the Woman-Cow Goddess. See where this is leading?)  The crown’s shape is a single steer horn set on either side of a disk; which also happens to be the shape of the glyph representing the sign of Taurus.  Funny how these thing work out.  In ancient Egypt, the disk in the center of the crown originally represented the sun.  As different cultures assimilated the myths of Isis and Hathor into their own traditions, the disk changed from representing the sun, to representing the moon.  In Pagan tradition, the crown of Isis is seen as the Triple Goddesses, Maiden, Mother and Crone; or, as the waxing crescent, the full and the waning crescent moons.  Are you dizzy yet?  But wait!  There’s more!  

In my last blog I told you that Saturn entered Scorpio at the beginning of this month and will remain there until 2015.  Although Saturn is somewhat of a task master, we all receive energy boosts while that planet remains in the transformative power of Scorpio.  These boosts enable us to strive harder and attain more of our goals.  And here’s the kicker.  While Scorpio’s ruling card is #13, Death, or Transformation, Saturn’s ruling card is #22 - The World.  The World represents the culmination of the soul’s journey, or the ability to have it all.  Wow.  The ability to access transformative energy to change your world.  That sounds like manifesting to me.  

Mars remains in Sagittarius during the Full Moon.  This gives us some wonderful, fiery wand energy to help us harness the power of both Taurus and Saturn in Scorpio.  Get your wish lists ready and don’t miss out on this prime opportunity to bring your dreams into this reality.  Happy manifesting!

LADY ORACLE

Saturn in Scorpio October, 2012 - Defining Moments

The astrological gloves come off this month.  On October 5th we saw Mercury and Saturn move into Scorpio.  Boy howdy!  Saturn usually remains in a sign for two and a half years, so Scorpions, take note.  While everyone will have their share of tests during this period, Scorpions will have defining moments.  Saturn is known for teaching through challenges.  Remember that the test of any challenge is always what you discover about yourself in terms resilience and focus.  Saturn’s challenges are not about crushing your spirit.  Envision tarot’s # 7, The Chariot - triumph over adversity, and work with that image in meditations when you are feeling particularly overwhelmed.  #8, Strength is also good.

For those of us born under the sign of Scorpio, it’s important to remember that Scorpio is all about transformation and rebirth - tarot’s  # 13, Death.  Scorpios periodically reinvent themselves, sometimes out of necessity and sometimes simply for fun.  It’s who we are.  During the next two and a half years Scorpions will have plenty of opportunity for transformation.  

Under Saturn’s influence, Scorpions will face their fears as well as their true potential.  With hard work, we will be able to confront those fears we’ve allowed to hold us back and move past them.  Defining moments, remember?  And here’s where it gets exciting folks.  With a good portion of our fears gone, we are able to take great steps forward in our personal development and our goals. However, we must stay focused on what is important to us.  What is your goal and why did you choose it?  What portion of your life promotes the person you truly wish to be?  What portion of your life benefits the greater good?  Whatever paths we choose, we Scorpios must keep our vibrations and intentions high.  

Mars moved into Sagittarius on the October 6th as well.  That’s a lot of fiery wand action.  Don’t be surprised if you see your Sagittarian friends moving onward and upward this month.  If you’re a Sagittarius yourself, you probably already know what I’m talking about.  Look for lot’s of wands in your card readings, particularly the 2 and 3 of wands.    2 of wands is about personal power - having a satisfactory place in the world, but wanting more.  the 3 of wands is about discovering new horizons, or opportunities. 

Things will be hitting you Sagittarians hard and fast in the first part of October. Take a second to catch your breath, then take advantage of the planetary pull to explore new heights.  Work your mojo. 

The Full Hunter’s Moon occurs on October 29th in Taurus.  This is Diana’s moon and an amazing moon for everyone to manifest their desires into the material world.

Though we will all feel a little tug from Saturn, some of us will feel a more direct energy shift in cosmic energy.  Here’s a handy reference list.

Most effected - Scorpio 

Fixed signs -  Scorpio, Taurus, Leo, Aquarius

Water signs - Scorpio, Pisces, Cancer

People whose birth chart has planets in Scorpio

You can accomplish great things with Saturn’s energy.  Just rising above the obstacles.  Take responsibility for your choices and their inevitable consequences - both good and bad.  Responsibility shouldn’t be an intimidating word.  By taking responsibility we also take control of our destiny.  Eyes on the prize people!  Hard work pays great dividends under Saturn’s influence.

LADY ORACLE

Life In the Paranormal Lane - My Life In A Haunted House Part I

In keeping with the season, I'm going to tell you a ghost story.  My own.  It all really happened.  It's funny in some parts and terrifying in others.  This is the story of my family’s life in one of the most haunted houses our Oregon hometown has to offer.  Everyone in town knew about it - everybody in town but me and my family, that is.  We were recent additions to the community back then.  Lesson one: When you’re checking out a neighborhood, schools and crime statistics may not be the only thing you should investigate.   

My family arrived in St. Helens healing war wounds from both personal and financial disasters.  We were battered and shaken, but thankfully, still all together.  Finding this rental house was like a dream come true.  Unbelievably, it fit our budget and had something for everyone.  It was two-story with hardwood floors, which believe it or not was something our children had asked me to find.  They sorely missed our 1940’s  home in Portland.  My husband wanted a yard with minimal up keep and a nice street presence.  

This home was a 1930’s bungalow style home with a deep basement.  (Can you tell I used to sell real estate?) It had been remodeled into a split-entry home with a modern family room, den, bedroom and bath downstairs and old-style parlor, 2 bedrooms, bath and kitchen upstairs.  And a glassed in back porch that will figure prominently in the story later.  The front of the home featured three massively tall and imposing columns at the front entry.  Talk about street presence.  And for me, there were single french doors and a built-in china hutch. Wow!  I’m not a person who looks a gift from the Universe in the mouth.  We rented it immediately.

If you’ve never lived in, or experienced a haunted home, it’s hard to explain the feel of them.  You are aware that you are never entirely alone.  You may know that you are the only one there physically, however, there’s always a presence that you might at first discount because of your unfamiliarity with your new living situation.  Sometimes that’s all it is and sometimes it’s something else entirely different.  

I took the first load of belongings to our new home myself.  My husband was working and the kids were in school.  A city worker arrived to turn on the water just as I was carrying in a box.  “You moving in?” he asked.  

I remember thinking, “No, I’m a reverse burglar.  I take my junk to people’s houses and leave it.”  I played nice and told him, yes, we’re were moving in.

“You won’t stay long,” he said.  “People never do.  The place is haunted, you know.”

Great.  I’d landed myself and my family in a B-grade haunted house flick complete with  dire warnings issued by the obligatory unnamed handyman - in this case a city worker.  Lovely.  And we hadn’t even moved in yet.  Though frankly, I’d had my suspicions about the place the first time we’d walked into it.

My mother was British and during times of adversity believed that one should begin as one means to go on.  Fortitude is a necessary evil.  I picked up a box of my mother’s Wedgwood, carried it to the built-in to unpack it and said to the house at large, “I think we should talk.”  For the next forty minutes I talked and I believe the house listened.  I told it that we were all healing and looking for a safe haven, that we already liked the house and would respect our unseen occupant.  The only thing I asked was that the ghost please leave my youngest daughter, then seven years old, in peace.  Children should never have to be afraid in their own home.  I’d had enough of that myself growing up in a haunted home.  I didn’t realize then that my request should have included my fifteen year-old daughter as well.  Her bedroom was one of the focal points of the haunting while my youngest never saw or heard anything the entire 4 years we were there.

The day we moved in my husband called me into the kitchen.  “There are baby latches on all the cupboards,” he said.  

“I guess the former renters had little kids,” I answered.  “No big deal.  We can take them off.”

“No,” he said.  “I mean all the cupboards.  Even the ones over the counters.”  

“Weird,” I replied.  We made jokes about alpine climbing babies and promptly forgot about it.  We finished as much unpacking as we could face that day and headed for bed.  My husband, my youngest and I slept downstairs, my son and older daughter, upstairs.  I remember hearing furniture moving as I was drifting off to sleep that night, but figured my teens still must have had some energy left.  In the middle of the night, my husband and I both woke up.  I don’t know why.  Suddenly we heard the simultaneous sounds of something being shoved across a surface, a crash and breaking glass.  One of my husband’s heavy, antique glass bowls had been pushed off one of our china hutches and broken.  We determined our cat must be the culprit.  However, in hindsight, that bowl was very heavy and the cat, pretty small.  She’d never shoved anything off anything before.  Perhaps it was the opening volley between the ghost and ourselves.   At any rate, that was our cat’s first and last night in the new house.  She disappeared sometime the next morning and we never saw her again.

The next morning I got up early to make our first breakfast in our new home.  I went into the kitchen and found every, single cupboard door standing wide open.

Next Time: Part 2  "What Just Hit Me? or, We investigate the History of Our House"

Lady Oracle

Orionid Meteor Shower - October 2nd to November 7th

                                                                                      “I’m high on my hill and I feel fine

                                                                                      Orion, let’s sip the heaven’s heady wine”

                                                                                                                  “Orion” by Ian Anderson

October is the month for beer and meteors.  Which one would you rather have at your house?  Don’t worry.  Meteors rarely hit houses and as for Octoberfest, kicking back with a cold glass of your favorite beer or Rhine wine is a perfect way to enjoy the spectacle of this year’s Orionid Meteor Shower.  The Orionid Shower is a rapid fire event boasting twenty to thirty meteors streaking towards Earth every hour. They hit our upper atmosphere at a brisk 148,000 miles per hour, usually burning up before impact.

Both the Orionid and the Eta Aquarid meteor showers originate from the debris trail left by Halley’s Comet. Earth passes through Halley’s debris field twice a year during the months of May and October.  The Orionid Shower runs from October 2nd through November 7th, however the meteors start falling in a trickle and will be more readily seen October 15th through the 29th.  The shower peaks just prior to midnight on October 20^th and through the pre-dawn hours of October 21^st.  The radiant, or point of origin, for the Orionids is in northeastern quadrant of the constellation of Orion, near its border with Gemini. The radiant for this shower will rise high into the night sky from the southern horizon. 

Orion is very easy to spot in the night sky.  Look for three bright, diagonal stars.  That’s Orion’s belt.  There’s a fourth star directly below the highest of the diagonal stars and it’s this star that denotes the point of his sword.  Orion’s sword is home to the famous Orion Nebula.  

The star, Rigel (Remember the Klingon crewman referring to

Captain Kirk as a Rigelian Bloodworm? There you go.) marks one of Orion’s legs while the stars, Bellatrix and Betelqeuse make up his shoulders.  Betelqeuse is a reddish colored star and on very clear nights you can see the color difference with the naked eye. Which leaves us with only a 

couple of questions: Who was this Orion guy and what made him so great that they named a star cluster after him?  Again, we turn to ancient myth for a torrid tale.

Orion was the son of Neptune, God of the Sea and renowned as a hunter.  He was a giant and but all tellings of the story, a very handsome man.  He fell in love with Merope, daughter of the King of Chios.  The king didn’t care much for Orion and as skeptical father’s of virtuous beauties often did in those days, he gave Orion a series of tasks to complete to prove himself worthy of the young lady’s hand in marriage.  Every time Orion completed a task, the king found another task and when the last task was completed, the king still refused Merope’s hand to Orion.  

One night Orion, feeling discouraged and probably more than a little sorry for himself, got very drunk.  Just what every palace needs - a drunken giant roaming the halls.  Orion decided that the solution to his woes was to kidnap Merope.  As with most brilliant ideas born of drunkenness, this one also ended badly.  The king had Orion blinded.  However, Neptune’s son was not without friends.  Orion was taken to the God of the Sun, Apollo.  The rays emanating from Apollo restored Orion’s eyesight.

And how did Orion repay Apollo’s generosity?  By going to Crete and putting the moves on Apollo’s twin sister, Diana.  Real nice.  Clearly Merope’s father had good reason to doubt Orion’s sincerity.  Diana, who was Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, tracked game and swam with Orion.  They fished and feasted and fell in love.  They planned to marry.  Apollo was even less pleased with the prospect of welcoming Orion into his family than Merope’s father had been.  One day he challenged Diana to prove her archery skills by hitting a log floating out at sea.  Apparently Apollo’s eyesight was much better than Diana’s.  He knew it was Orion swimming in the ocean.  Diana killed her beloved with one shot.  When Orion’s body washed ashore Diana has devastated.  She placed him among the stars to honor him.  Wow, did those Olympians know about intrigue and passion, or what?

There’s another version of Orion’s story about becoming a constellation.  It’s short and sweet.  Orion got on the wrong side of Scorpius, the scorpion, literally.  He was stung to death. Both Orion and his arch nemesis were placed in the sky, but in different quadrants so that they never have to share the sky together.

Pick whichever version of the story you like the best, open a cold one and enjoy the meteor shower.  Oh, and don’t forget to watch out for triffids.

LADY ORACLE 

Check out this cool link for 2013 meteor showers!

September's Full Harvest Moon 2012 - 7 Degrees, 22 Seconds Aires

Astrologically speaking, September has been a challenging month for some of us. If you were able to stay on top of the wave and ride the energy, you discovered some fantastic opportunities to accomplish your goals.  September's Full Moon, however, comes with a warning label.  The Full Harvest Moon of the 29th (the closest full moon to the Autumnal Equinox is called the Harvest Moon) is seven degrees, twenty-two seconds in Aires.  Aires, the Greek God of War is represented by the Major Arcana card, #4, The Emperor.  Mars, the Roman God of War is also the ruling planet for Aires. Can’t you just feel that testosterone surge?  Mars happens to be deployed in Scorpio now and is squaring off with Leo. (see blog: “Astrology Watch September 2012 - Shebang!)  As a Scorpio, I'd be better off hiding under my bed during this month's full moon phase.  It's a good thing I've labeled September as “Self-determination Month,” isn’t it? 

The word on the street for our Aires full moon is, ‘revolutionary.’  Astrologers advise approaching the run up dates, of the 27th and 28th, with a clear mind and a steadfast heart.  You will need both to navigate the riptides and shoals of this Harvest Moon.  

Uranus squares Pluto - again.  That’s happening a lot lately and will continue to do so for some time.  We have seven full-on Uranus Pluto squares from June 2012 to 2015. This particular square produces extremely powerful, even incendiary energy in the arena of social change.  We had Uranus Pluto squares during the 1960's.  Under the influence of Aires’ warrior energy,though, the Uranus Pluto square can easily take a fanatical turn, not only in your life, but also in the world around you.  It’s best to avoid conversations where tempers are likely to flair.  Don't talk politics, religion or reality TV shows.  

While the Uranus - Pluto square brings focus and energy to your goals, however under this particular sky, your ambition easily couples with your pride.  You may have no patience with people who see things differently than you , or who question what your saying.  “My way or the highway,” becomes “Get out of my way, you un-evolved, little wretch.” You’re going to damage a lot of friendships with an attitude like that.  Stay focused, positive and proactive.  Power past any distractions caused by other people flailing around in reactionary panic.  There’s tremendous opportunity for transformation right now if you maintain presence of mind.

Avoid personal addictions next week.  They’re a distraction - even the most benign stuff like chocolate, sticky buns or an addiction to exercise.  Surf’s up people.  Waimea has come in and you can either ride the crest of the wave or wipe out.  Your choice.  

Here are the tarot numbers for the dates from September 27th through the 30th, the Major Arcana cards, the lesson card (reduced from the card #) and the Major Arcana card’s ruling sign:

Date         Major Arcana                Lesson Card #s            Ruling Sign         Card Meaning                         

27th:        #14, Temperance              5s, loss and conflict      Sagittarius              Blending, moderation
                              (If you insist on all or nothing, that's usually what you'll get)

28th         #15, The Devil                 6s, communication        Capricorn               Enslavement
                     ( Turn off your smart phone and talk to the people you are actually with)

29th         #7,   The Chariot              7s, victory                      Cancer                  Triumph over adversity
              (It's been tough going today, but you will succeed.  Just don't run over anybody)

30th         #8,    Strength                   8s, movement                Leo                       Compassion, coping
    (The situation is changing.  You have the coping skills to see it through, but remember kindness)


Next month Saturn moves into Scorpio.  I might be posting my blog from under my bed after all.

LADY ORACLE


                 

September 23, 2014 - "All Things Being Equal - Autumn Equinox"

#14 Temperance from
Barbara Moore and Aly Fell's Steampunk Tarot©
balance, harmony, middle ground
Good card for an equinox

Crisp apples, colorful leaves, scarecrows.  It must be Fall.  On September 23rd the sun will shine directly on the equator and we will have close to twelve equal hours of both daylight and darkness.  Equator, equal hours - say, you don’t suppose that’s why they call it an equinox, do you?  Clever.  We have two equinoxes annually, one in September and one in March.  In the northern hemisphere the September equinox heralds Autumn, while in the southern hemisphere, it heralds Spring.  

The ancient Greeks blamed the change of seasons on a case of unrequited love gone very bad. Beautiful Persephone was kidnapped by Hades, God of the Underworld and taken to his kingdom to reign as his Queen.  Persephone’s mother, Demeter, Goddess of Plants and Crops, greatly mourned the loss of her only daughter.  Soon all the plants of Earth began to wither and die as the temperature dropped dramatically.  Zeus, king of all the Gods grew alarmed at the state of things on Earth and ordered Hades to return the girl to her mother.  

Hades making off with Persephone
He should have used on-line dating

Unfortunately, as with all stories like this, there was a catch.  Persephone could only return to the upper world if she hadn’t eaten anything while in Hades’ realm.  Who makes up rules like this?  As it happened, she’d eaten six pomegranate seeds.  Apparently, there was no Pizza Hut in the underworld and she must have gotten desperate.  Pomegranates look a lot cooler to eat than they actually are. Those tiny, juicy seeds pockets are cute and all, but after the first fifteen or so, forget it.  Anyway, in sympathy for Demeter, and probably because of the lack of descent cuisine in the underworld, Zeus decided that Persephone could return to her mother for six months out of each year - Spring and Summer - but must return to Hades for the other six - Autumn and Winter.  She should have gotten herself a better lawyer.  

7 of Pentacles shows us the
bounty of a harvest
RWCS US Games©

It's important for us to mark the changing of the seasons.  Time-honored traditions reconnect us to the Earth and to our ancient pagan ancestors.  The early Christian church adopted the less edgy aspects of pagan traditions as a way of drawing members to their faith.  For example Michaelmas (pronounced Micklemus),  the Feast of St. Michael, (also called the Feast of All Angels) is held on September 29th, a week after the September equinox.  Feast days always sported dancing and merrymaking in the old days, but Michaelmas also served as the time for settling up accounts.  Christian churches also adopted this idea as well and today many of them still ask their congregations for financial support during Autumn tithing.

Mabon, is a pagan festival, named for the son of the Welsh Goddess Modron, the Earth Mother.  His name means "Great Son" or "Great Hunter" and he is the God of Harvests.  The festival of Mabon is held on the equinox.  Giving thanks for a good harvest and therefore the means to survive another winter was the central theme.  However, during Mabon you were also encouraged to explore the spiritual meaning of balance.  Just as the hours of light and dark were balanced during this particular time, people reflected upon achieving balance and harmony between themselves and the natural world around them.  

The old English festival of Harvest Home gives us the

A Corn Dolly, symbol of Harvest Home,
was made by twisting sheaves of wheat
into this intricate shape

tradition of corn dollies and dried apple dolls, not to mention a very scary book by Tom Tryon of the same name.  I grew up in New England and I remember being fascinated by the dried apple dolls made by some of the older people in our village.  A series of shallow, tiny cuts made in a peeled apple reveals a face of depth and character once the fruit dries out.   

Other old traditions survive today as well.  "Burning Man" festival owes its origins to the corn dollies created long ago by twisting sheaves of grain into dolls that were said to hold the spirit of the harvest.  These dollies were burned along with other wicker images, giving thanks and releasing the spirit of the grain once more into the land.

Mark Ryan and John Matthews
deck, "The Wildwood Tarot"©,
illustrated by Will Worthington,
uses "The Seer" as the traditional
"High Priestess" 

Autumn festivals have always been part of the human experience.  While they denote the time of gathering and gleaning, they also ask us to look deeper into our own existence, to try to come to terms with the eternal cycle of life.  The green leaves and shoots of Spring bring joy and limitless potential after the bleakness of winter.  Autumn, with its bold reds and orange colors lends itself to gratitude and satisfaction for a job well done.  Though our time in this existence is finite, we are all part of an endless cycle beautifully represented by seasonal change.  Whatever your faith or belief system, take time to honor the seasons and therefore honor your own life.

LADY ORACLE


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The Care and Feeding of Tarot Cards - Practical Advise For People New to Tarot

“These are my Tarot cards.

There are many others like them,

but these are mine.”

                                Apologizes to “Full Metal Jacket”

It’s thrilling when a new Tarot deck comes your way.  There’s that moment of flirtation when you first spot each other across a crowded card display, (“Hello, good-looking! Do you come here often?”) or when you pull them from their shipping box and your new deck sees you for the first time.  In either case, you pick them up and feel that lurch in your chest that tells you there’s a connection between the two of you.  Maybe your hands start to burn, maybe you get lightheaded, but in some way the energy of a new card deck makes itself known to you.  

Clearing and waking a new card deck is pretty simple.  Place your cards in your writing hand.  You write with your dominate hand and it’s also this hand that receives energy from the universe and senses changes in the energy fields around you.  For example, when you’re testing a crystal’s vibration, you place it in the palm of your dominate hand.  You do the same thing with your deck.  Your other hand sends energy.  Focus for a moment and imagine white light gathering in your sending hand.  Now pull your hand into a fist and rap it sharply on the deck in your opposite hand.  

Turn your deck face up so you can see the images in each card.  This is the best part.  Your cards are in order and they may never be in order again - unless you’re OCD, that is.  Starting with The Fool, pass each card from one hand to the other as you study the images.  As you review the cards, imagine a beam of white light coming from your third eye going directly into each card.  Think, or even speak the word, ‘clear’ as you go through the deck.  Your deck is now clear of residual energy from idle handling in transit to you.  

There are many ways to establish a connection with your new deck.  The methods are as many and as varied as the decks themselves.  Some people like to sleep with their new decks, or carry them on their person for a while until they feel a bond has formed with their deck.  If that works for you great.  I like to show my new decks my reading table, introduce them to the crystal balls and the other decks.  Then I build them a nest.  

I usually have a bag handy, if I don’t, I make one, or wrap the cards up in a cloth.  I like to think of a card bag as a comfy chair for decks - somewhere they can put there feet up and forget a hard day’s work.  Weird, maybe, but I like knowing they can relax and sigh contentedly in their nests as they let go of the day’s events and come back into their own energy.  Don’t we all feel better doing that?  I put sprigs of lavender and a small piece of black tourmaline in each card bag to calm them and clear away negative energy.  I sometimes also include a clear, quartz crystal or a piece of labradorite to assist in raising the vibration level around the cards and make it easier for them and me to reach a higher state of consciousness during a reading.  

After a public event, where I’ve read multiple people, I pass the decks and bags (I always take two to three decks with me) through smoke from either a sweetgrass or sage smudge and run the crystals under cold water.  I place the decks on my reading table with my selenite tower.  Once they are cleared and contented, I tuck the decks away for a day of two.  I never use the same decks for consultations two days in a row.  

When you teach, students often bring decks to you that they can’t connect with, or don’t feel are a proper fit for them.   It’s sad to see orphaned decks, particularly if you, yourself have enjoyed working with the deck in question.  Many people don’t like reading from a used deck and I would never endorse purchasing second-hand cards from an unknown source.  However, if you know the person giving you the cards and, more importantly, know and like their energy, there are good methods for clearing and balancing slightly used cards. Once properly cleared, you can reclaim an orphaned deck and pass them along to someone who is able bond with the cards.  The deck is no longer an orphan and both cards and their new reader go on to live happy and productive lives together.  I use the same method to clear orphaned decks as I do for ones I use at a public reading.  I also take the extra step of misting their bag with Dragon’s Blood oil.   The deck will be less likely to pick up your energy that way and will stay clear until you present it to its new owner.  One important clarification:  Clear means clear of all outside energy not natural to the cards themselves.  Repeat clearing steps until you feel nothing but the energy of the cards themselves.

Cards are sensitive to moods and atmosphere.  Even though we know this as readers, it’s very easy to forget.  If you take the time to regularly work with your decks and keep them clear, you not only deepen their connection to you, but also maintain their flexibility  for working with friends or clients.  Together, you and your deck will accomplish amazing things.

LADY ORACLE