Mabon Blog Hop - Power of Transformation

Welcome to the Mabon Blog Hop chain! You may have reached here from the blog by Rose Red Robinson.  Check it out, if you happen you just see this post. We are a group of 28 bloggers blogging on the topic of the Power of Transformation.

This time's blog hop has as its theme, Transformation. When I first heard this word, a few pictures came to my mind, specially the card No. 13 in the Fairy Tale Tarot named 'Transformation' which is originally the 'Death' card in other decks. In this deck, this card is represented by the story of the Beauty and the Beast. It is a beautiful card, depicting the transformation of the 'beast' into a handsome young man. Transformation in this story takes place, because of the power of love. The Beauty has faith in the Beast and kisses him, breaking the spell. Love can bring about the greatest transformation.

It is this love, which has brought about a big change in my life. Specially this year, is very special as we are bearing the fruits of love and I am expecting a baby! This has transformed me emotionally, mentally and of course physically. I am resembling a football these days! Another important card of transformation in the Tarot which I relate to these days is The Empress. She is the ever nurturing mother, fertile within and outside. I really feel like that these days. I am blessed from within and at the same time, I am also doing well in my Tarot business as well. This baby has been a real blessing for me, it has made me realize that being a mother is an essential part of me. I am now looking forward to the journey of motherhood- along with the diapers,  baby wipes and baby smells. It is a miracle that a precious soul can be created out of love. I feel very blessed and happy to be where I am. I have become more calm, and have let myself go. I feel at peace and my dreams have become very vivid and full of meaning.

The Empress card that I love from all the decks that I have, is the Robin Wood Tarot deck. She is visibly pregnant, and happy. She is content in herself, and is busy spinning a wheel. This is so much like me. Spending time in nature among the greenery, or being at home, probably not spinning but doing some creative activity like baking (my new passion!) I think it has to do with 'nesting' or preparing and providing for my young one. Another part of nesting, is setting up the house and buying baby stuff. The Empress is ruled by Venus, the planet of love. And the card has a big red heart on the bark of the tree, which to me represents the beating of a new heart, a new life, a new beginning.

It is such a coincidence that Louis Underhill is also expecting a baby and she is right after me on this Blog Hop! You can check out her blog here. 

Pentacles : Fruits of Harvest

You are viewing this blog as a part of a chain called the Tarot Blog Hop. You can view the blog before this which is Aisling's blog. Hope you have fun viewing all the unique 35 bloggers that will share their unique perspectives about the Pentacles suit of the Tarot.


I have been attracted to quite a number of decks since I began learning the Tarot in 1999. Some of them have beautiful pictures, some have lovely themes while some others just resonate with me on a spiritual level. So, for this exercise I tried to think up of my favorite Pentacles card. Quite a few came up. I love the Osho Zen Tarot, and it is one of the first decks that I purchased.

 In that deck, the Pentacles suit is called Rainbows. There is a beautiful card, the Ace of Rainbows called 'Maturity'. This card is a wonderful reminder that we are constantly changing and maturing, just like a blossoming flower. The figure in the card is at peace, with his eyes closed. He is growing, from within, and only he knows it. Just the way, the trees and flowers grow on their own, and mature, we too mature as we are also a part of Nature. True maturity doesn't happen overnight, it happens slowly and steadily. This card is very meaningful and meditating upon it can help you to realize ways in which you have changed and are bound to change. You have it in you to grow and to keep learning. I find this a very spiritual card and it is very special to me.

On another note, I really love the Fairy Tale Tarot and love the different stories that represent each card. This deck awakens the child within me, and I flashback into my school days where I would read all these fairy tales. These tales are not just childish, but since they are so age old, they have important archetypal symbols which have great meaning. So, the messages received are so profound that you just need to pick up one card for a reading! Today, I asked a question for myself about my growth using this deck and co-inicidently (or synchronically!) I removed a single card belonging to the Pentacles suit which was the ''Three of Pentacles''. This card was represented by the fairy tale of  'The Three Little Pigs.''

The moral of this story is that you need to work hard and by spending more time on a project you can be the best in it and will never fail. Anytime you do something, do your best, and don't put in half-hearted efforts. The earlier pigs made houses of straw and sticks, but they were all blown away by the Big Bad Wolf. The third pig, though he took longer, made a house of cement and bricks and had the last laugh. This is a message for me, as I often feel that people are racing past me, doing things really fast, where as I take my own sweet time and leisurely get things done at my own pace. I need not worry about that as hard work will pay off in the end. There will always be wolves lurking in the background ready to take advantage of you, and bully you, but you must be sure of yourself and get things done on your own brick by brick. The important symbols in this card are:

Bricks : representing the materials of the pig's unmanifested dreams

Path : covered with pebbles. The road to success isn't always easy and obstacle-free

Ladder: use it when the time is right to climb to success

Apples: Temptations and distractions are there to deter you off your task

Wolf: The trickster who will try to play games with your mind.

The Background has debris of the collapsed two houses, so don't forget your past failures while working on your future goals.

Now off to the next blog by Louis Underhill. Let's see what are her favorite Pentacles cards!

Tarot Blog Hop Master List for Aug 1 Lammas 2012

This is the list of bloggers who have blogged about 'Pentacles: Fruits of Havest', our topic for the Lammas Blog Hop. Please check out these links as there is a lot of hard work put into these blogs, and the variety and the points of view of these bloggers are so varied. We have bloggers from London, Austin, Mumbai, Singapore, Canberra and from all over the world. This variety of cultures is a speciality of the Blog Hop. This Master list has been prepared to refer to, if ever you get stuck in the middle of the hop.

1 Sandie Worthy http://wp.me/pIIBV-kg

2 Arwen Lynch http://tarotbyarwen.com/blog/?p=8411

4 Jordan Hoggard http://jordanhoggard.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/tarot-lammas-pentacles-a-magnetic-fruit 

5 Joanna Ong http://sungoddesstarot.blogspot.sg/2012/06/celebrating-abundance-at-lammas.html

6 Christiane http://news.cosmictarot.co.uk/2012/08/pentacles-fruits-of-harvest.html

7 Alison Cross http://tarot-thrones.blogspot.com/2012/08/lammas-blog-hop-my-favourite-pentacle.html

8 Joanne Sprott http://tarot.wordtouch.com/lammas-blog-hop-pentacles-fav/

9 Sharon Cumming http://ridingthewishingtree.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/lammas-blog-hop.html

10 Ania Marczyk http://aniam.co.uk/blog/a-little-bit-of-reaping/

11 Carla Tate http://rowantarot.blogspot.com/2012/08/tarot-blog-hop-lammas.html

12 Teresa Deak http://handsongratitude.com/gratitude-tarot-6-thank/

13 Elinor Predota http://elinor.dreamwidth.org/355666.html

14 Alison Coals http://alisonsalembic.blogspot.com/2012/08/lammas-tarot-blog-hop-pentacles-fruits.html

15 Mary Caelsto (Wilson) http://harmonicspirit.net/2012/08/tbh_fruit_of_harvest/

16 Donnaleigh http://www.donnaleigh.com/apps/blog/show/17721534-which-tarot-card-are-you-

17 John Marani http://johnnietwobrows.blogspot.com/2012/08/tarot-blog-hop-pentacles-fruits-of.html

18 Chloe McCracken http://innerwhisperscouk.blogspot.com/2012/08/lammas-tarot-blog-hop.html

19 Joy Vernon http://joyvernon.com/Blog/pentacles-the-fruits-of-harvest/

20 Claire-Marie Le Normand http://beautyhistorymagic.com/2012/08/01/tarot-blog-hop-three-of-pentacles.aspx

21Donna L. Faber http://www.donnalouisefaber.com/blog/2012/7/31/pentacles-coaxing-manifestation.html

22 Aisling the Bard http://tarotwitchery.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-lammas-harvest-coins-stones-bread.html

23 Kareena Narwani http://kareenatarot.blogspot.com/2012/08/pentacles-fruits-of-harvest.html

24 Louise Underhill http://www.priestesstarot.co.uk/2012/08/tarot-blog-hop-lammas-harvest/

25 Kerry Ardilla http://www.neopaganpriestess.com/2012/08/lammas-tarot-blog-hop-fruits-of-harvest.html

26 Jaymi Elford http://www.tarotinspiredlife.com/tarot-blog-hop-lammas2012/

27 Carolyn Cushing http://artofchangetarot.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/tarot-blog-hop-a-harvest-constellation/

28 Bonnie Fernandes http://intuitiveblogging.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/lammas-blog-hop-pentacles-the-fruits-of-harvest-the-thing-the-other-and-whats-between

29 Gary Ormond http://theseerscave.webs.com/apps/blog/show/17802467-lammas-blog-the-fruits-of-harvest

30 Stella T'arot http://usgs.typepad.com/blog/2012/08/lammashop12.html

31TABI Tarot http://tabitarot.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-fruits-of-harvest.html

32 Jera Babylon Rootweaver http://tarottaxi.com/2012/08/01/lammas-tarotbloghop-fruit-of-the-harvest/ 

33 Morgan Drake Eckstein http://gleamingsfromthedawn.blogspot.com/2012/08/and-then-monkeys-took-over-pentacles.html

34 Andrew McGregor http://www.thehermitslamp.com/2012/08/the-earth-teaches-patience/

35 Koneta http://newpathstarot.com/wordpress/?p=4720

36 Christiana Gaudet http://tarottrends.com/content/pentacles-fruits-harvest

37 Melanie Howard http://way-ward-tarot.blogspot.com/2012/08/harvest.html  

Wands : The Fire that Tends to All

Fire has always been an important part of our lives. Right from the beginning, when the cave men discovered fire by rubbing two flint stones together, things have never been the same. In different cultures, fire has been worshiped, feared and respected. To see what Chloe, who is from U.K has to say about Fire in her blog, Inner Whispers, click here.  In Greek mythology, we have the Goddess Hestia, the goddess of fire, warmth and hearth, and the Greek God Hephaestus, the god of the forge who is the craftsman of fire. In Hinduism, fire is very important, as diyas (mud candles) and agarbattis (incense sticks) are lit during poojas (prayers) and it is believed to be very auspicious. Fire is created, to burn away the negative vibrations in the house, by performing a havan, a religious bonfire to purify the house. Even after death, the bodies are burnt in a funeral pyre. During marriages, the couple take 7 pheras (circles) around the fire, promising to keep the 7 vows of marriage. 

Even in the Tarot, fire is one of the important symbols. The fire is seen in its destructive form in 'The Tower' card, and also in 'The Lovers' and 'The Devil' card on the tree and on the woman's tail. Most importantly, the Wands suit in the Tarot is ruled by the Fire element.The other suits are Swords (Air), Coins (Earth) and Cups (Water). In a very simple exercise, using illustrations from the Robin Wood Tarot, I will associate each Wands card, with an aspect of Fire, to better understand the card. So are you ready for this Tarot exercise?

Ace of Wands - Flame

Like all beginnings, Fire too begins with a spark, and a flame. The Ace of Wands represents the beginning of passion, creativity and a new spark. 

Two of Wands - Candle

A candle can be used to light another candle. By lighting each other, they share a bond, like the Two of Wands card, which is a card of togetherness and partnership. Supporting one another, being a candle for each other, and lighting each other up, when one is down and extinguished.

Three of Wands - Sparkler

A sparkler is a happy form of fire. It makes children happy, as it gives them hope and makes them dream. The three of wands card represents that part of fire where you have received what you wanted, and there is a mini-celebration. I love sparklers on my birthday cake! 

Four of Wands - Gas Stove

This is a card of happiness at home, stability as with all the fours. A gas stove represents good food, family life, health and a good state of mind. This card is one of stability and a happy family life, victory achieved as a result of good bonding and a happy mind. 

Five of Wands - Matchsticks

Matchsticks are fragile, yet when they are together they can create a riot, and can light up and burn anything. The Five of Wands is a card of struggle, strife and competition in your life and career. A matchstick can do its work on its own, but if there are five matchsticks around each other, they do not have a direction, and can create havoc. Each match gives its own separate light, and only when they work together in one direction, can they be productive. Otherwise, it is a waste of energy and fire.

Six of Wands - Fireworks

This has to be the happiest representation of the fire element in our world. The Six of Wands is the Victory card. Whenever I see this man on a horse, off on a procession, I think of fireworks bursting in the background somewhere. It is time to celebrate for work well done.

Seven of Wands - Torch

In this card, the man looks like he is trying to save himself, or prove that he is on the right side, whereas he has others who are against him. He is holding the torch, the torch of truth. They are holding torches of rebellion. You are up for a fight in this card, and the only way you can win is if you stand up for yourself, and your light of truth.

Eight of Wands - Rockets

These wands look like rockets to me! They represent communication, speed and the flash of lightning. They zoom past the card like rockets, arrows of fire. Now is the time to strike, the iron is hot. Like hot rods of steel, these wands are fast paced, and energetic. They are a very powerful form of fire.

Nine of Wands - Fire burns

Fire causes deep burns and wounds. This man has been burnt once, and is afraid of being burnt twice. This aspect of fire, teaches us to cool down when we have been playing with fire too much. We need a glass of water, and a cool bath sometimes. We are out of balance with the Fire element. 

Ten of Wands - Bonfire

The man in this card looks completely burnt out. He is on his last legs. Just like a bonfire, which is formed out of adding pieces of wood, paper and even rubbish, he is burning away endlessly, and looks pooped out. Endless bonfires pollute the environment, and by slogging away like a workaholic, you too will pollute yourself from within. 

Some Fire Gods and Goddesses representing the Fire element:

Page of Wands - Phrixus riding the ram (Mythic tarot)

Knight of Wands - Krishna - Prince of Wands in the East (Haindl Tarot) 

Queen of Wands - Hestia (Greek Goddess of the Hearth and Home)

                   - Pele ( Hawaiin Goddess of dances, lightning and volcanoes)

King of Wands - Agni (Hindu God of Fire) He has blood red skin with coal-black eyes. He rides a ram.

                      

This TarotBlogHop made me look at the Wands in a completely different way. It also has me thinking about the other Tarot elements as well!! Water has many forms: lakes, rivers, oceans, puddles, rain, tears and tsunamis. Air has many forms such as wind, hurricanes and lovely breezes. And Earth too has many forms like mountains, sand, dirt and soil. I hope to explore the different elements of the Tarot to deepen my knowledge about the cards.You should too...

Now let's see what interesting thoughts Carla has about this same topic, in her blog Rowan Tarot. 

Tarot Blog Hop: Ostara - Paint a Journey with new Life

To check out the TarotBlogHop before this one, hop onto Jennifer's blog to see her take on Ostara.

Not being a wiccan or a pagan, I had never heard of the different festivals in the Pagan calendar - Imbolt, Ostara, etc. The first time I heard of Ostara was from a Doreen Virtue deck 'Goddess Guidance oracle cards' and I remember very clearly this very sweet card called Ostara. The card says , 'This is the perfect time for you to start new projects, or assess new ideas and give birth to new conditions." 

Ostara from Goddess Guidance Oracle cards

When this card comes up in a reading, it is always a good time to do something new. The keyword for Ostara is Fertility. This goddess reminds me so much of our own Tarot goddess, The Empress. The Empress is the archetypal mother figure in the tarot, and in most decks she is shown being pregnant, which is a metaphor for the beginning stages in an important phase in your life. She too represents fertility, and in the scheme of events if you get this card, it represents that events will unfold in the month of March i.e in spring or during the festival of Ostara, also called Easter today. No matter what name she is called by: the Empress or the Spring Goddess, whether she is called Easter or Ostara we must be aware of messages we receive in all forms.

Who is Goddess Ostara?

She is the Teutonic goddess of fertility and springtime, who is sometimes called 'Eostre'. The words East and Easter were both named after Ostara because of the reference to the sun rising in the east, and the increase in sunlight beginning in the Celtic springtime. She is celebrated during the spring equinox as the bringer of increased light and the balance between night time and daytime hours. Call upon Ostara to increase your fruitfulness, fertility or to help you embark on new ventures.

A very pregnant Empress from the Mythic Tarot

Paint your life with Colour!! 

Surround yourself with beautiful flowers, brighten the colours in your wardrobe and your home, and paint your life with the beautiful colours of spring. The colours of spring are red, yellow, green and orange! You can paint a sunny out look within yourself and attract abundance into your life. Also significant are the beautiful and colourful Easter eggs which signify the birth of something new, just like our pregnant Empress.

Ostara To-Do List:

HUG A TREE

1. Read books which interest you.

I have a pile of books in my drawer that are just begging to be read!! Enough of all the procrastinating! Remove your books and tarot cards which are gathering dust, sitting unused in your drawers or cupboards.

2. Spring cleaning! Out with the old, and in with the new, Get rid of all your old junk. Have a garage sale, sell them online or better, donate your old stuff to a good cause. Old books, clothes, shoes and blankets are always needed in old age homes or charity organizations. You can clean your house AND do a good deed both at the same time.

3. Learn something you always wanted to. Learn to sing, or do something creative. Learn a new recipe or join a dance class.

4. Buy a new Tarot deck or revisit an old one in a new way. Have you always wanted a deck but didn't buy it for xyz reason? Do you have a neglected deck in your drawer? Don't think twice!

5. Prep up your Tarot practice by spending more time with your cards. Invent a new spread! Revamp your tarot blog!

6. Plant trees or flowers and watch them grow in the spring time. As they grow, so will you!!

7. Spend time with Nature by taking walks in the park or joining a yoga class in the garden.

8. Hug a tree!! Show them that you love them and are a part of them.

9. Paint the walls of your house with colourful colours. Surround yourself with spring colours by buying something new and colourful. Paint Easter Eggs with love and gift them to your loved ones.

10. Spend some time meditating, while listening to the sounds of the trees, the birds, the bees and the wind. Take the spirit of Springtime within your soul. Deeply breathe in all that oxygen.

Wishing all of you a very Happy Ostara and Happy Easter!! Stay happy and keep hopping!!

The next TarotBlogHop is by Melanie. Check it out!!! :-D 

TarotBlogHop: How Can I Be a Better Candle?

Check out the Previous Imbolc Tarot Blog Hop blog by Jordan 

Welcome to the Tarot Blog Hop Chain!!!

 Creating a blog where so many other fellow tarot readers are involved gives you a sense of community. I would love to see what everyone has written about this one topic. I was thinking and ‘musing’ over what to write when I thought of devising a spread to answer the question ‘How can I be a better candle?’ So below I have ‘invented’ a spread and asked this question for myself.

How can I be a better candle?

A candle is a symbol of enlightenment and spiritual growth. It also aids in meditation and calms you down. Before a reading, the light of a candle can instill confidence in the reader and looking into its flame can give you clarity in your readings. Even a confused or an unfocused client is able to ask clear questions. Candles are used in meditations and in India there is one called Jyoti Meditation where you focus on the flame and imagine it entering and enlightening your body. The main use of a candle is that it can lighten even the darkest room, and bring light and clarity. So, how can we be a candle, meaning how can we bring light and clarity in our lives and the lives of others? How can I be a candle which shines its light on the world?

Different Candles for Different Purposes

I have classified our needs and desires into different candles for different areas of our life. You can try this spread at home and of course do not forget to keep a candle in between the cards to inspire you!! Once I went to a metaphysical store where they sold candles, and the store owner said that each candle corresponds to an area in our life which needs healing. If we need love in our life, we should light a pink candle. If we need to increase our intuition, we should light a dark blue or purple candle. Based on this I have formed a simple but effective spread called the Candle Spread. This spread is meant for bringing light into the different areas of your life.

The Seven Candle Spread

Ask your Tarot Cards, How can I be a better candle?  And remove 7 cards and place them as above.

Using the very spiritual and philosophical Osho Zen Tarot deck, I picked the following cards:

Card 1 – Pink Candle – How can I bring more love into my life?

10 of Water – Harmony

My life is full of love and harmony. I need to be calm and learn to love myself from within. Only true inner happiness can result in increased love in my life. If I love myself, I will be able to attract more love into my life.

Card 2 – Yellow Candle – How can I bring more happiness into my life?

5 of Water – Clinging to the Past

I have a bad habit of clinging to the past at times. Letting go of the past is a sure way of embracing the future. Forget the past and negative situations for a happy future.

Card 3 – Red Candle – How can I fulfill my desires?

IV - The Rebel

I know what I want, but I’m afraid to be a rebel, afraid to stand out. I need to stop thinking about other people and be a bit rebellious. I need to spread my wings out a bit more.

Card 4 – Purple Candle – How can I increase my spiritual development?

IX - Aloneness

This is the Hermit card. By spending time with myself, I can understand my inner self more. This card is aloneness, which is different from loneliness. Aloneness is a state of being where you are happy being by yourself and realize that you are alone in this world. Everyone has their own spiritual path, and their own way to reach there.

Card 5 – Indigo Candle – How can I increase my intuition?

8 of Swords – Guilt

Subconsciously, I torment myself and am guilty about something. I need to trust myself more and listen to the voices in my head.

Card 6 – Green Candle - How can I bring more success and money into my life?

Page of Fire - Playfulness

I do not need to worry about this, as success will come into my life easily. I need not worry about this aspect. I just need to enjoy what I am doing and surrender myself. Money should not be a criteria for happiness. I need to have more fun!

Card 7 – White Candle – How can I be a better candle?

Ace of Rainbows - Maturity

From the book: This figure stands alone, silent and alert. The inner being is filled with flowers – that carry the quality of springtime and regenerate wherever he goes. This inner flowering and the wholeness that he feels affords the possibility of unlimited movement. He can move in any direction – within and without it makes no difference as his joy and maturity cannot be diminished by externals. He has come to a time of centeredness and expansiveness – the white glow around the figure is his protection and his light. All of life’s experiences have brought him to this time of perfection. When you draw this card, know well this moment carries a gift – for hard work well done. Your base is solid now and success and good fortune are yours for they are the outcome of what has already been experienced within.

This is a wonderful card to come up. This coincidently also belongs to the Rainbow suit and has all the Seven colours of the rainbow just like the Seven candles of this spread! This is also the last card on the last page of the Osho Zen Tarot companion book! This card means that I need to mature and reach the stage of ‘spiritual spring’ in my life to be a better candle or an enlightened soul.I need to reach a state where my happiness does not depend on external things. Inner growth and inner maturity will make me a better candle!!

Thanks for this wonderful opportunity to self-discovery, Stephanie Arwen Lynch! 

Please check out the Next Imbolc Tarot Blog Hop blog by Krysten http://violettekitty.blogspot.com