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To School Or Not To School, The Wildwood Answers

Working out a tricky step for ourselves that involves time & finances is exactly what the Tarot ordered. Do we carry on with the education & school?

The Tarot is great at helping us reflect on decisions of this nature, let me show you how.

Choosing between two options is something we all come across in life. You might not use the Tarot to decide what’s for breakfast or lunch, but to go & further educate yourself or not, is something we really need a few voices on so we can make our decision.

The option to further our education by going back to school (or not) is often a tricky one. Finances aside, it’s sometimes the fear of “being the oldest” that we baulk at. The “odd one out” for me, personally, isn’t something new. But it might be for others or you. So, what do you need to know?

The first thing is knowing that you’ve got choices ahead of you.  You may already know what those choices are, which is great, but sometimes we don’t know what they are. The cards can help us figure out which way is the best way to go. It’s more than likely ratifying what we’re already thinking & that is okay too!

The Cards & The Choices;

Option 1: To not continue my education at all – 7 of Vessels

Option 2: To continue my education now – 5 of Bows

Options 3: To continue my education later – 6 of Vessels

This can quickly become a 9 card layout, as I tend to draw 3 for each option. Why 3? It’s better to assess each option as a mini story board, rather than as a single card. You get to view the answer with diagonals, in columns, not just rows. You get a more objective viewpoint that way. But for the purposes of this blog entry, I’m going to be drawing 3 cards about school & the options it brings. One for each. (Otherwise, it’ll be way too long to read!)

The 7 of Vessels is quite clear I feel here; to not pursue furthering your education or going back to school, will make you mourn as if you’ve suffered a loss. You love to learn, to be at school. It might a social thing as well as an educational thing, but I sense you’ll really miss it if you don’t follow that path.

 

 

school

The 5 of Bows is another one that’s quite clear with the message here. To continue your education makes you feel empowered as if you can take on anything! I sense you love learning, you love finding out facts & fitting more pieces of the jigsaw of life together as you go.

Gaining knowledge is what gives you empowerment & I suspect it’s a little like a drug: the more you get of it, the more you want it & you can’t bear to be without it. What a drug to be addicted to!

The 6 of Vessels I feel is a sad one. If you really have to park up the education or further schooling at this time, know that you will come back to it. You’ll miss it too much to not come back to it at some point! You will reunite with it because you’ll be wanting to return to it for your own emotional well-being.

That’s great if you’re aware of why you’re putting it on the back burner & you plan on actually getting back to it, rather than just leaving it as a dream that will never happen. You may as well do card number 2 if you do that!

The Conclusion:

The best card out of these three is the middle one, the 5 of Bows. Staying with education is likely your best choice, because of what it does for you on a number of scales. If you choose to leave it behind you will mourn it, but you’ll move on. Putting it on hold, to come back to later is also an option, but only if you really can’t do the extra schooling for one reason or another. It is something you will come back to. If card 1 is any indication, the pull of education isn’t something you can ignore for long.

 

Please be aware that this reading, whilst the question is genuine & the reply is too, is superficial for the purposes of the blog. To get a real in-depth reading, you’ll have to book me for one, right here. 

You can find The Wildwood Tarot at The Wildwood Site, here & a blog entry here.

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Tarot Blog Hop : The Litha Contest Begins

It’s Blog Hop time & I managed to catch the train on this one!

This Litha Hop celebrates the contest between the Oak King, Cernunnos, the Green Man &  his “Tanist”, or chosen replacement, Lugh, the Holly King, or Red God.

BLOG BEFORE | MASTER LIST | BLOG AFTER

For Litha, our wrangler, Aisling, gave us this as a backdrop for our Blog Hop today.  “This Hop celebrates the contest between the Oak King, Cernunnos, the Green Man, who is God of the Waxing Year and fertilizes the land with plants and babies in women’s wombs, etc., and his “Tanist”, or chosen replacement, Lugh, the Holly King, or Red God, who brings the Harvest and creates the Waning Year by means of blood sacrifice of animals so there will be meat, reaping the grain and vegetables and plants, and otherwise clearing the fertile ground and taking the results of the Green Man’s cycle of fertility, making it the Red God’s cycle of harvesting.”

She also points out that this is two aspect of the same being, just in two guises. So we’re asked to find the two faces & then reconcile them this Litha.

The cards & Interpretation:

LithaShe then asked us to do 3 main things with this Litha Blog Hop.  The first was to pick out my “significator”. With this deck, well, that was fairly easy. This is how I see myself when I’m reading the cards.  In typical Aisling style, I need to explain to you now why I see myself as this card. In truth, I do try to do this, but I’m human after all. However, when I’m reading the cards, I’m the one being objective, the one that says what’s in the cards (that may already be going through your head). I say the unspoken words, that is after all, why you’ve come to see me.

She’s also about giving you options, the possible paths that you can take. That is what I believe this Seer sees in that cauldron of hers.  Of course, we can’t see the path before us, all we see is how bad it can be & how hard it can be.

justiceTo combat The Seer, the “other” side of her is The Woodward. He’s more than Strength, he’s the emotional backstop when fate or the situation is beyond that of normal hope. The Woodward is beyond the state of limbo, he’s been stripped of any emotional baggage that may hold sway over you. He’s free, the same as that Lynx is. He can come & go as he pleases. He’s a balance between the energy of The Hunter & The Guardian, he’s the protection & inspiration.

It’s not easy balancing life, we have to find the courage within ourselves. The Seer isn’t one for being strong within ourselves physically, she’s more the mental one. This fellow, you can see is strong. You’d take his word as it came out of his mouth.

The Rest of the Cards;

How do I understand these two, in my mind?  Ace of Arrows

This card suggests that I keep it simple, don’t over-complicate things. Let the simple things help tie the two facets of this pairing together. Don’t ask for too much from others, or expect it from yourself. The Seer is quite passive, the Woodward isn’t. I sense that she’s happy to “hand things” over to The Woodward at this time of the year.

Litha

How do I engage that will & show my passion? 6 of Bows

Enjoy the abundance that I’ve created. It’s not often I get to sit & just “be” with nature, with the kids. There’s always something that needs doing.  I’m getting better at just enjoying it, but that doesn’t mean that there’s no more work to get done! I’m just being told to enjoy it.

How do I act upon that in practical terms? Page of Stones

The Page of Stones says watch, observe, take hints, take it slowly. You can observe the differences, embrace it but you don’t have to act on it if I do not want to! The power is mine to embrace. Notice that this is the second time the Lynx has come out? I’m loving this quiet big cat.

How do I use my intuition between them? King of Vessels

The King of Vessels comes to help out. Most people don’t like him, but I rather do understand him here. He’ll move on if conditions aren’t to his liking, he trusts his judgement. His message here is; trust my own.

Conclusion:

There are a lot of elements at play here (it was set that we addressed each element) and I have advice from each quarter. Keep it simple, enjoy the moments, watch & observe, then take action if I am happy to.

Thank you for reading & enjoy the next hop!

BLOG BEFORE | MASTER LIST | BLOG AFTER

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The Father’s of The Wildwood

It’s Father’s Day here in the UK & the Wildwood has its celebration of the fathers in our lives.

They can range from those who are very direct to those who are gentle and guiding. Which Tarot cards fit?

Father’s are an important part of our lives. Sometimes, we’re lucky to have uncles, grandfathers or older male cousins to bless our lives with. Sometimes we don’t get to be that lucky, we may not even get a male role model until we get to school. Sometimes, it is not even then, it’s secondary (high school) before we encounter a good male influence.

We have some great Father Like cards within the Wildwood. Before we get to the spread, I wanted to show you a few.

8 ~ The Stag
10 of Arrows

Now, I could (really should) use my Parents Spread that I created last year (the UK celebrates these days at different points to the USA, in case you think I’ve lost the plot)

father's

And so, we have our spread, we have the cards, let’s match the two together, shall we?

The Reading:

What do we need to appreciate about our fathers? Princess of Swords

How do we not show that we love our dad’s?  7 of Wands

How can we best show that we love them? 8 of Wands

I’m taking these cards hold a message for my 3 children, towards their father this time, rather than me towards my dad.

What do the kids need to appreciate about their dad? That he’s direct with them and honest. Okay, his eloquence may not be up to the par of either granddad yet, but daddy has time to learn that finesse. Until then kids, get used to daddy telling you like it is.

How do they show that they don’t love him? Well, they rebel, they fight back. They bicker with each other & whine about how they can’t have their own way because daddy has said no & mummy won’t “stick up for them” against daddy. If Daddy’s told you no kids, chances are, I have already said no more times than I’d like to anyway. 😛

How can they best show that they love him? Well, by taking on board what it is he’s told them! Whether he’s asked them to do something, or he’s said something already, to not repeat it & test the boundary 30 seconds later. By acknowledging what’s already been said & getting on with it, will help everyone, especially the kids!

Father's Day Spread with the Illuminati Tarot

Conclusion:

I really think that the last card is going to be the eye opener. I see that happening with the eldest more than the younger two, but they’ll get there, eventually! How they get there is the fun (!) part though, isn’t it?

I’ve used the Illuminati Tarot by Eric Dunne & the images are (c) to him. The spread is my own & you can use that to your heart’s content.

With blessings to you, your endorsing male figure (whoever they are) & a bright, sunny, wonderful day!

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The Wildwood Cards for June with Video

Flaming June has arrived & weather aside, what’s in store for us?

It’s a whole new month (again!) and now we’re half way through the year, I wonder what’s in store for us in June!

 

The cards for June are right here & I thought I’d record it as a video. I haven’t done these for about 3 years – oops!  The link to the video is right there if you can bear to hear my voice!

The cards as I drew them can be seen here. So, enjoy the video & thanks for stopping by!

 

 

cards for June 2017

 

You can buy the Wildwood directly from the website here.

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Gemini New Moon & Middle Beltane

New Moon in Gemini cards

It’s a New Moon & the fires of Beltane still burn brightly.

What can the Gemini New Moon provide us on insights?

We’re in the middle time between Beltane & as we’re approaching a new moon (which will be in Gemini at 20:45 25th May BST) I thought it prudent to see what energies are around us at this time.

Gemini’s love to ask questions & find out answers. If you’ve ever worked with a Gemini they can be fantastic & very “bulldog” like in their endeavours. On the receiving end, they’re not known for letting go until they’ve gotten what they’ve set out to find. Woe betide you if you even dare to lie to them. You’ll be done to them if you do!

Gemini attention to detail can be both fantastic and a proper pain in the proverbial. It depends on how they come across with their tenacity. They also love self-reflection. Some of us shy away from that, but even so, we need to be the horse that’s led to the water & we need to drink.  They don’t tend to throw stones as they too live in a glass house. They’re not perfect but they’re so close, it scares them!

The hot summer nights are on their way, so if you jumped over the fires at Beltane, your weather wishes came true!

The Spread & Cards

I created this New Moon spread with the analytical Gemini in mind.

Gemini new moon spread

Three of Arrows: This card suggests that I need to reflect on what I feel & what I let others feel. We can all be a little insensitive at times, but this New Moon, I feel I’m being told to have a little care & reflect on what it is I am saying, doing & acting towards others.

Knight of Arrows: this one is telling me to just be honest & direct both with myself & others. Be swift & take action when you need to. There’s no need to beat about the bush (well, I don’t tend to anyway) but if I being more sensitive, I can be a little “wishy” in how I talk. Do I need to be more eloquent, perhaps? Even say it with feeling!  Do you want to poke that hornet’s nest? If you do, be prepared to fly off when you’ve said your piece.

Three of Bows: The new pathways will be a few, but it’s your choice as to which one or ones, you follow! There looks to be more than one route to where you’re going, so just decide.

Major 12, The Mirror: This card adds to the card before. To decide on what path to take, decide on how it might sit with you. Decide what kind of person you are, how you want to be. Use that as your moral compass. You have to be true to yourself in all you do with how you act, interact & behave in life.

The Hooded Man: he suggests that the likely outcome is that I find better solace in my own company, again. Not that I don’t need or want my friends around me, but it’s time to work on me & that can be a hard, solitary thing to do at times. This is one of those times; I need to make me some “thinking time” & reflect on myself inside & out. It may seem that I’m more aloof; that may be the case, but I am working on me, inside.

New Moon in Gemini cards

Conclusion

I need to realise that I am worth more than I give myself credit for. It’s time for me to work on myself & decide what kind of person I want to be, how I want to be perceived. The way I do that is down to me, but it all depends on what I want to be known for.  I need to work on myself & at times, just leave situations that don’t better my higher self.

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this New Moon Spread that I created. I’d love to know if you tried this & what your conclusion was!  I’ve used The Wildwood here, which you can order directly from their website.

To order your personal email, MP3 or hour-long session, you can do so here. 

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Using the Tarot as a crutch

We can create dependencies or a crutch on so many things in this modern age. Sex, drugs, rock n roll, tarot readings… 

Yes, tarot readings. Relying too much on what your cards tell you rather than experiencing life itself, can cause issues. 

It’s easy to get hooked into things that you know help you & you inadvertently turn them into a crutch. You continue to want their help ALL the time. It’s a bit like walking perfectly fine when you’re 10, even if you do fall over when you’re rushing or playing, but then becoming younger, to toddler stage and you can’t do anything without holding onto your “one thing” that you know supports you, but isn’t designed for the nth degree of things.

The use of Tarot can get like that. From consulting the cards every hour to not getting out of bed to being nosy about what someone might be thinking. You can use it to micromanage everything, it becomes your crutch. The question I have is this: Do you really want to!?

I get that there’s an element of control within us all that sometimes, can be a British BullDog. It just will not let go. Even though we know we’re being irrational, that “bulldog” whispers: “Yes, but just check, to be sure!”

Honestly, it takes another part of your psyche to say: “Oi, NO!” (Imagine Harry Enfield here!) Yes, really imagine Harry Enfield in your head, shouting out: “Oi, NO! No more Tarot for this! You DO NOT NEED IT!”

I designed this spread more for other readers, who come across this, but it can be used to work out of you’re relying too much on the cards to even get out of bed, or see certain people. That’s what your own will power is for & the cards should never replace that power. Enhance it, work with it, empower it; but never replace it with the Tarot.

The Reading & The Cards: 

Top Card: Why am I relying on it so much?

Left Card: What can I do to reduce the dependency?

Right Card: What will the outcome be if I do?

Tarot as a crutch

 

Top Card: The Page of Stones suggests that you’re using it to see things you could see if you actually just opened your eyes. The answers are there before you, but you’re not really observing or watching. You’ve stopped trusting or using your own senses.

Left Card: The Queen of Arrows suggests you already know you’re not using your own communication to yourself. You “see” what’s going on, but the information to your brain isn’t either being processed or it’s being blocked. Is it time to have a bit of self tough-love?

Right Card: The Four of Arrows suggests that once you acknowledge what’s going on, once you accept the self tough-love, you’ll finally be able to let it go & rest! How long has your brain been going over and over the same situation, or plaguing your mind?

Conclusion:

The quicker you can give yourself that stern talking to, acknowledge why & what it is you’re trying so hard to avoid, then you can rest & let it go. The peace that you need inside your head can be yours, but deal with what’s causing the internal noise!

Learn to listen to yourself, trust yourself, acknowledge your own thoughts & impressions. They are far more relevant to you than any pieces of cards with 78 snapshots of life!

I do hope you’ve liked this blog post & my take with The Wildwood cards. They can be helpful, but like GP’s, hairdressers, mechanics, beauticians & other skills, they need to be used wisely!

You’re welcome to book your own Tarot Consultation right here. 

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What Might May Hold For You?

We’re now in the Month of May, so what might it hold for you?

I gained this spread idea from a post in Tarotholics Anonymous, thanks to Lisa  at Angelorum 

The idea Lisa posted is here; You can either divide the deck into 3. One pile for the 22 Majors, one pile for the courts & one for the minors. So you’ll have 22 cards in the first pile, 16 in the other & the rest in the last; OR keep going until you come across the first one of each. Shuffle well, folks & let’s look at the cards for May from the Herbal Tarot

Card 1 is the Main Development for this month from the Majors; The Star

Card 2 is the best mental attitude to embrace & is from The Courts; Page of Pentacles

Card 3 is the Action to Take * is from the rest of the Minors. 8 of Swords

The Cards & Spread

The Major is The Star Card, with the herb Skullcap is the main development for this month. My dreams need developing this month, they need my focus & they need a clear head. The herb Skullcap is used to combat flu, aches & shivers. Skullcap is about preparing the mind for meditation but counteracts sleepiness.

The Court Card is the Page of Pentacles with Blue Hag as it’s herb. Pages are all about learning, so this month, I should find a way to learn that is good for me, practice learning & be practical in achieving my goals. Listen to the messages within, smell Iris & be careful if you’re taking Blue Hag as it can cause digestion issues, as well as helping you think straight.

The Minor card is the 8 of Swords. The action advice is not to over think it, keep things simple & be in the moment as they present themselves. The other two cards herbs are about calmness & black cohosh is similar in that regard (don’t take it if you’re pregnant though!) This card has a great affirmation from the Herbal Tarot book by the way: “By releasing myself of the thoughts that bind me, I am open to new concepts coming my way”.

May

Conclusion: 

I need to find my inner calm this month, look after myself (as skull cap suggests) & be prepared to learn of things in a new way. Gone are the days of sitting in a classroom or reading. The affirmation of the 8 of Swords is the best one, so I’ll take that forward. Release the thoughts that bind me.

I’ve used my new Herbal Tarot for May’s review & thanks again to Lisa Eddy for her post that inspired it. I can feel more will be coming in the next few months!

You can order your personal Tarot consultation here, which will come to you via either email or MP3.