We all know the expression, “tomorrow is not promised”. We know that nothing is secure. Yet, we humans only seem to function well when we feel secure.

I think one of the fundamental secrets of life is to both acknowledge the uncertainty and temporal nature of life, and yet maintain faith that good things will happen, and that we will have the future we are working toward.

I believe in the power of positive thinking. Yet, I think some people confuse positivity with denial. Prayers and manifestation can sometimes work miracles and can often bring us the good fortune we desire. But not always.

My mother used to say that God answers all prayers, but sometimes the answer is no.

To be truly emotionally healthy we must accept that terrible things could happen, yet we must constantly work toward the best.

In all things we must trust that, whatever happens, we will have the ability to push through, bear what we must, and do what we have to do.

One of my favorite poems, Desiderata by Max Erhmann, includes these lines.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

These two lines exemplify the healthy balance between uncertainty and faith. We must be prepared for sudden misfortune, yet we must not dwell on the possibilities.

There are spiritual and religious schools of thought that suggest that goods things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people. There are very few philosophies more dangerous and untrue.

The truth is, anything can happen to anyone. We must find a way to make peace with uncertainty, and to be as positive and proactive as we possibly can be.

It is in that balance that we find true faith in ourselves, in the future, and in whatever force we believe drives the universe.

Divination with tarot and other tools can often offer us a sense of what is likely to happen. Even better, divination can give us clues on how to best create the circumstances we prefer. Yet, when things don’t go our way, divination can help us process, heal, and move forward.

Divination can be a great tool to help us function as secure people in an insecure world.

The StaarCorner

We have added two new presenters to our roster of talented individuals ready to share their knowledge with you at StaarCon 2021!

Kristine Gorman is an artist and tarot reader coming to us from California. Roxie Zwicker will be joining us from New England to teach a class on tarot magic.

Every week our list of talented professionals is growing. Soon it will be time to get your ticket for StaarCon 2021. We can’t wait to see you in Palm Beach Gardens in January, 2021.

When Tarot Predictions are Unfavorable

Not every tarot reading is predictive, and not every tarot reader foretells the future. Yet, many of us do use tarot and other methods of divination to gain a glimpse of what’s to come.

One reason people are sometimes hesitant to have a reading is they mistakenly believe that their reading will reveal that something terrible is about to happen.

Good tarot readers don’t tend to focus on predicting misfortune. Instead, we focus on healing from the past and working to manifest our desires for the future. A good tarot reading makes us aware of our options. That is, the things we can do to create the future we want.

Yet, once in a while it will happen that the cards will reveal a potential outcome that is different than what you would prefer. When that happens, there are several ways to handle it.

The first is to ask a question such as, “What can I do to create a better outcome?”

Sometimes, once forearmed with knowledge, we can find ways to make changes that create a better future.

If the prediction we saw shows up as unchangeable, we can then ask questions about how to mitigate, lessen or prepare.

We might also ask questions such as, “How can this serve me?”

There are two important things to remember. One is that the future is very rarely set. What we do today influences what happens tomorrow. The second is that tarot is not a doomsday device. We don’t use tarot to create fear and dread, we use it to create hope, goals and solutions. This is true even when the cards don’t come out exactly the way we would prefer.

The Week in Review

Did you see my webinar, Working with the Tarot Court, on YouTube? You can always watch it in archive!

This week I wrote a piece on using tarot to help ease the suffering of Mercury Retrograde. Read it on my 78 Magickal Tools blog.

Here is a short clip from Ciro Marchetti’s presentation at our Grand Opening Celebration in my Palm City office. It’s on my Facebook Business Page, where you can find some other live videos that I share every week.

From Around the Web

Did you know Beyonce featured tarot cards in a song? Here’s the video!

Here’s the story of Pamela Colman Smith, the artist of the world’s most popular tarot.

There is so much wisdom in ancient stories. Here are twelve interesting Greek myths.

Cards for Your Consideration

I think many readers would consider Major Arcana 10, the Wheel of Fortune, a card of both hopeful positivity as well as uncertainty.

The thing about the Wheel is that it is always turning. When you are up, you’re up. Then the Wheel turns, and you are once again at the bottom. But, hang on, because the Wheel will turn again. Change always comes, whether for better or worse.

When favorably aspected, the Wheel of Fortune can speak of luck, and of the Wheel turning in a positive direction. Yet, very often the Wheel presents in a way that says we just can’t be certain what will happen next.

There is a spiritual lesson here. We hope that the wind will be at our back and the Wheel will turn in our favor. Yet, we must accept that anything could happen.

Upcoming Events and Tours

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 3 Issue 9
February 26, 2020