The Midwinter Fire

This last week of January and beginning of February is often called “Midwinter.” While folks in many places are dealing with extreme winter weather, the groundhog prepares to herald the arrival of spring. For many people, spring can’t come soon enough!

Even here in Florida, folks are anxious to trade their sweatshirts for beachwear!

Despite the discomfort of the cold, there is something special about this time of waiting for spring. Under the snow, tiny seeds are beginning to awaken.

Some cultures celebrate February 2, the day equidistant between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox, as a holiday that honors Fire, sometimes called Candlemas, Imbolc, Brigid or Saint Brigid’s Day. This ancient holiday gave birth to our secular celebration of Groundhog Day.

This Fire we honor is the spark of life waiting to grow in frozen ground. That Fire is within each of us as well. It’s our passion, our creativity and our motivation. That Fire never leaves us, even during the darkest, coldest times of life.

At this time of Midwinter, how will you stoke your inner flame?

The Transformative Power of Fire

Fire holds spiritual significance in virtually every culture. We use candles to invoke spirit, to honor loved ones, to pray, manifest and make wishes.

Metaphysically, Fire purifies, and transforms. Fire is our creativity, our life force, and our motivation. It’s also our passion, our humor and our anger.

We use Fire to release what no longer serves us. We use Fire to warm us, and nourish us.

It’s easy to harness the metaphysical power of Fire for your own transformation. You can light a candle or build a bonfire. You can connect with Fire through the Fire cards in tarot, such as any card from the suit of Wands, or a fiery Major Arcana card, like the Tower, or Temperance.

Once you have a fire, or a fiery image, simply breathe, willing the energy of the Fire to come in with your breath, and to ignite your core. You can ask that Fire bring healing, release, motivation, creativity, passion, or any of its transformative gifts to you.

As you breathe, visualize Fire within your chakras, rising up your spine. It does not hurt you, it burns away what does not serve, and brings light, strength, inspiration and motivation to you.

Use this quick Fire meditation whenever you need some extra energy, inspiration, healing or motivation!

The Week in Review

This week, I added a written and video review to the new “Media” section of my website. Read and watch my review of “Art Through the Starstream Oracle,” and check back often to see this resource area grow over time!

On my 78 Magickal Tools Blog on PaganSquare, I shared an invocation to the Four Elements and Brigid, appropriate for this time of year.

On my Dark Forest Blog, I wrote some thoughts about a big musical event coming up in Chicago this summer. Read “A Few Things I Learned from the Grateful Dead”.

From Around the Web

I was happy to be asked to contribute to a blog post by Nadine Roberts. Nadine asked twelve tarot professionals to share some wisdom about tarot. Read our answers on Nadine’s blog.

From Mary K. Greer, here’s a fabulous historical piece about a reading with Mlle. Lenormand herself. Read “A Visit to Mlle. Lenormand by Marie, Comtesse d’Agoult”.

For all my fellow writers, here’s a great short piece from Jamie Morris. Read “Sleep, Dream, Wake, Write”.

Tending the Flame Within Tarot Spread

Here is a great original tarot spread, perfect for this time of year. It’s a three-card spread arranged vertically. Card one is at the very bottom, card two is in the middle, and card three is at the top. Think of the spread as a candle.

Perform this spread to help you understand your inner flame, and bring that light to the world. What spark of creativity, spirituality or motivation is within you? How will you tend that spark, so it becomes a flame for all to see?

Card One, the Candle: What fuels my inner flame?

Card Two, the Wick: What inspires my inner flame?

Card Three, the Flame: How do I bring my inner flame to the world?

What’s Up on the Psychic Café?

Last week we featured an early episode of Christiana’s Psychic Café that had not previously been available on YouTube. If you haven’t caught the episode featuring Kim Wilborn and the Major Arcana, make sure you watch it on my YouTube Channel.

This Sunday I am featuring a show from November, 2013, that focuses on the spiritual nature of creativity. I interview Pagan musician Alexian, and tarot deck designer Lisa De St. Croix.

Watch it on Facebook starting Sunday, or find it on YouTube.

As always, I’m committed to bringing you interesting conversations with fascinating people on Christiana’s Psychic Café. 

Learning Tarot: Four of Pentacles

In tarot, the number Four speaks of stability. Pentacles, of course, relate to the element of Earth, a very stable element. Therefore, with the Four of Pentacles, we discover what happens when you have too much stability. Sometimes, you become stuck.

The Four of Pentacles often depicts a person tightly holding on to their coins. Often, we interpret this as a card of greed, selfishness and “lack mentality.”

Traditionally, the Four of Pentacles is the card of the miser.

Sometimes the Four of Pentacles reminds us to be more “self-full.” We need to remember that making self-care a priority isn’t selfish, it’s necessary.

The Four of Pentacles can also appear when a person is being stubborn and set in their ways, or doesn’t want to give something up.

The suit of Pentacles teaches us lessons about the way we deal with resources. In our journey through the Pentacles, we developed some success in the Three of Pentacles. Now, with the Four, we may be having some difficulty dealing with that success. Next week, with the Five, we will deal with an even greater sense of poverty, before learning how to balance our resources with the Six.

Image from Celtic Dragon Tarot, artwork by Lisa Hunt, used with permission.

February Guest Bloggers Contest

I’ve been hosting a Community Blog for a few years now. Unbelievably, we’ve had thirteen guest bloggers so far, including notables such as Biddy Tarot, Mary Ellen Collins, Robin Renee and Mary Nale.

With our new website, it’s easy to contribute to the Community Blog. Anyone who wants to submit something is welcome. Your submission needs to be somewhat tarot-related, or at least spiritual. Hate speech isn’t allowed, and you must have the legal right to publish any words or art you submit.

You may use the Community Blog to participate in the Tarot Blog Hop, as Amanda Lee has done. You may use the Community Blog to promote your own website, as long as you add something of value to the Community Blog.

As an incentive to welcome current bloggers to our new format, and to encourage new bloggers, we will have a contest during the month of February.

From now until March First, all guest bloggers on the Community Blog are eligible to win a brand new copy of the fabulous Japaridze Tarot.

How do you win? Simply contribute to the Community Blog as many posts as you like. You’ll notice that our readers can rate each blog post with stars at the bottom of the post. On March First, the blogger with the most stars, wins!

You may share your post, and ask your readers to vote for you!

The winner will be announced in March 4th edition of this Newsletter! Happy Blogging!

Your One-Card Weekly Reading

This week, your one-card reading is Justice. Justice reminds us to treat others fairly.  It reminds us that life is not fair, but we must do our best to balance the scales.

Are you feeling balanced in your life? Are you feeling treated fairly? When Justice appears, it’s time to check in, ask these questions, and make corrections if necessary.

Justice also serves as a reminder to do the right thing, even if it is difficult. If you are facing a challenge this week, do nothing less than what feels morally correct.

If something has happened that feels unfair, remember that sometimes Justice takes a while to balance out. In the microcosm, life isn’t fair. In the big picture, everything balances in the end. Justice often appears to remind us of this.

Image from Celtic Dragon Tarot, artwork by Lisa Hunt, used with permission.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, January 31, 10 am
Metaphysical Society Expo, Sun City Center

I will be a featured speaker at the Metaphysical Society Expo in Sun City Center. I will also be available to sign books throughout the day. The Expo runs from 10 am – 5 pm, and will be in the Community Hall, 1910 S. Pebble Beach Blvd., Sun City Center.

Admission is free. For information, call Vicky at 813 398-7033.

Visit christianagaudet.com for more information on this event.

Sunday, February 1, 3:30 pm
Free Event
Tampa Bay Area Tarot Meetup

Join us at Panera Bread, 23388 State Road 54, Lutz, for a focused-but-informal exploration of tarot. Everyone with an interest in tarot is welcome.

Visit christianagaudet.com for more information on this event.

Monday, February 9, 7 pm
Free Webex Webinar Available Exclusively On Line
The Four Elements and the Major Arcana

The four elements of life are Earth, Air, Fire and Water. They each have metaphysical properties as well as physical properties.

The four elements correlate with the four suits of the Minor Arcana of the tarot. They also correlate with individual cards of the Major Arcana.

The term “Major Arcana” means “Greater Secrets.” The twenty-two cards of the Major Arcana contain the most spiritual messages and lessons of the tarot, and tell the story of our journey through life.

When we learn the elemental associations for each of the Major Arcana cards, we have a clear way to understand these important cards.

This 75 minute webinar will help the tarot student more fully understand the four elements. It will provide a deeper way to comprehend each of the Major Arcana cards. The student will be able to more fully interpret the Major Arcana cards, whether reading for self or others.

For more information and log in, visit the Event Listing.

About Christiana

Private readings and instruction are available by appointment.

Tarot parties at your home or office are available throughout Florida. 

Call 813-948-4488, toll free 866-99TAROT,
or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.

Agent inquiries are welcome.