Tarot News blog has news and information of interest to the tarot community.
The Power of Self-Care
Make your own self-care a priority, and join the free Card Reading Magic telesummit!
In medicine, self-care is the regimen a patient must follow on their own.
In personal healing, self-care includes anything you do with the intention of taking care of your well-being, whether body, mind or spirit.
Sometimes I find that my need to take care of my body feels at odds with a perceived need to take care of my spirit with chocolate cake!
In many cultures, and especially here in the United States, people seem to take pride in denying themselves care. Perhaps we feel we appear stronger if we do not admit to needing care.
Often, we pack our lives with so many commitments that we can’t seem to find the resources to focus on our own self-care.
In reality, self-care is good time management. The better we feel, the more efficiently we use our time.
Taking time for self-care is also an enforced break from our routine. That, in itself, has value.
There are many possible self-care activities. Exercise, massage, cooking, yoga, tarot, gardening, meditation, journaling, dancing, socializing, spa treatment, ceremony and playing music could all be considered self-care. As you can see, some activities take time and money, others can easily be incorporated in to daily life.
Whatever you invest in your own self-care will be returned to you many times over.
Body, Mind and Spirit Self-Care Spread
Here’s an easy three-card spread designed to help you understand your self-care needs and habits.
Simply pull one card for Body, one for Mind and one for Spirit.
Interpret the card in each position in context of your need for self-care in that area.
Perhaps a card might indicate a self-care activity that would be helpful. Perhaps a card my reveal a particular resistance to self-care. Maybe a card would congratulate you on your approach to self-care in that area.
Perform this spread on a regular basis as a way of making sure you are showing up for yourself.
The Week in Review
This week, I shared a new video on my YouTube channel. It’s a guided meditation to heal the heart and attract love.
On my Dark Forest Blog, I shared some thoughts about online dating. Read “Dating as a Shopping Experience.”
From Around the Web
From Jamie Morris, here is a tarot-based writing prompt! Why not use tarot and writing together for some self-care this week?
In the mood for something out of the ordinary? The Tarot Cat interviews European musician Zdrada Palki!
Lisa Hunt has created the new Fairy Tale Lenormand deck, with book by Arwen Lynch! Check it out, and come see Lisa at TarotCon
Florida!
Song of the Week
From Lindsey Stirling, featuring Christina Perri, Here’s Brave Enough.
Card Reading Magic Free Telesummit
No matter where you are in your card reading journey, there is always more to learn about this art that none of us can ever truly perfect.
From feeling confident from the moment you sit down in a reading, to creating a consistent, powerful experience for clients, there is so much we can share with each other.
So my friend and colleague Tori Hartman, creator of the best-selling Chakra Wisdom Oracle Cards, has put together a free virtual intuitive festival so that you can benefit from rarely-heard insights in conversations with well-known groundbreakers and up-and-coming experts.
Card Reading Magic, an online event with 18 speakers including myself will take place September 14-18.
This event is perfect for you if:
- You’re new to card reading and want to start a business
- You’ve been at it for years and want to step your game up
- You want to join a community of top card readers
During this virtual intuitive festival, you’ll discover:
- How to gain more specific, in depth information from your readings
- The 5 essentials of card reading
- How you can use your intuition more effectively and naturally
- Mistakes that keep you from accurate readings
- How you can shift into the zone of being a card reader quickly and easily
- Simple techniques to move away from the guidebook
- How to put the story together for your clients by linking cards
- The insider secrets of self-publishing decks from experts who have done it
So if you’re ready to get more accurate readings, join me for this virtual intuitive festival:
Card Reading Magic
September 14-18
Reserve Your Spot Now (FREE)
The Four of Pentacles Urges Self-Care
Many people see the Four of Pentacles as selfishness. Eden Gray called this the “Card of the Miser”.
Modern tarotists often see the Four of Pentacles as depicting a “lack mentality”.
All of these can be appropriate interpretations of the Four of Pentacles.
At the same time, there is another interpretation that works for this card, and can sometimes shed new light into a reading.
Sometimes, we can interpret the Four of Pentacles as advice for self-full-ness, rather than a warning against selfishness.
The Four of Pentacles can advise us to hold better boundaries, or to make our own needs a priority.
Sometimes, we feel selfish when we are really being appropriately self-full. The Four of Pentacles asks us to contemplate this balance in our lives.
Image from Crystal Visions Tarot by Jennifer Galasso
Your One-Card Weekly Reading
Eight of Cups
Your One-Card reading is the Eight of Cups.
This week, it is time to consider what emotions and hurtful stories you are hanging on to, acknowledge them, and release them.
Recognize that the way you tell your stories, even if factually accurate, may not be the way that allows your history to serve your best.
This process is part of good self-care, and an opportunity to heal.
Upcoming Events
September 14-18
Card Reading Magic Tarot Telesummit with Tori Hartman
Discover the 5 essentials of card reading, mistakes that keep you from accurate readings, and how you can use your intuition more effectively during this FREE virtual intuitive festival, Card Reading Magic, where I’ll be one of 18 featured experts. Sign up now!
Coming Soon:
October 7 Professional Development Day (PreConference Intensive)
October 8-9 TarotCon (Florida) 2016
October 14-23 Christiana's Trip to West Palm Beach. Call or test 561-655-1160 to schedule your party, house call or private reading.
About Christiana
Christiana Gaudet
Origins Spa and Wellness Center
1537 N Dale Mabry Highway #102
Lutz, FL 33548
Private telephone, Skype and in person 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 or call 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.
Agent inquiries are welcome.
Is it possible to have too much integrity?
Three tarot cards that encourage us to do the right thing, Orbifold Tarot and the element of Earth, Global Tarot Circle on Facebook Live, Professional Development Day, and more!
Everyone’s moral compass points in a slightly, or widely, different direction. For some people, ethics are largely a gray area. For others, the difference between right and wrong is starkly black and white.
Sometimes our moral differences are a matter of culture and background. Sometimes they are point of view.
If you are a person of extremely high integrity, there are some hard-to-avoid pitfalls that may be familiar to you. Here are five of them.
1. You are constantly disappointed in human nature.
Because you will always make decisions for the greater good, you will be hurt and mystified by war, greed and injustice.
2. You naively see the best in everyone.
Everyone, even the worst of us, has a positive side. You’ll see that positive side, and it will cause you to sometimes be a poor judge of character.
3. It’s hard to find your peers.
In business, in love and in friendship, you will constantly be disappointed by the best others are able to do.
4. Your need to do the right thing, and avoid the wrong thing, will sometimes cost you money.
Honest people shoot themselves in the foot all the time. It’s unavoidable.
5. You may become judgmental of others.
The spiritual lesson in being a person of high integrity is to be forgiving of those who do not share your values. Sometimes that’s difficult.
Integrity is the subject of poetry, myth and legend. Shakespeare’s Polonius reminds us, “To thine own self be truth.” The Egyptian Goddess Ma ’at greets you after your death, and weighs your heart against a feather. If your heart is not heavy with wrong-doings, she will allow you passage into the Underworld.
If you are a person with a strong moral compass, you can work to avoid the pitfalls associated with your virtuous nature, but you can’t avoid being who you are. Learn to appreciate your high standards, and enjoy being an example to those around you.
Three Tarot Cards that Do the Right Thing
Sometimes the Universe can use a tarot reading to call you out for your own lack of integrity. Sometimes the cards will strongly urge you to honor your ethics.
Typically, the suit of Swords, related to the element of Air, will strongly speak of honesty, ethics and integrity. Many swords cards contain darker images that tell the brutal truth, or express the damage done when trust is broken.
Here are three tarot cards who clearly tell you to play fair.
1. Justice
Justice can indicate matters of law and fairness, but it can also be a commandment to do the right thing.
2. Ace of Swords
The Ace of Swords may remind you that you know the truth, and you know the right thing to do or to say.
3. The Knight of Swords
The Knight of Swords communicates a responsibility to the truth, to swift action, and to just action.
The next time these cards appear in a reading, consider that their message may be urging you to your highest ideals and values.
The Week in Review
Upon returning home to Tampa from my trip northeast, I wrote about a poignant experience I had during my trip, doing readings and then leading a healing ceremony. Read this true story on my 78 Magickal Tools blog on PaganSquare.
From Around the Web
From Speak of Secrets, here is a great myth-busting post called “Tarot and the Rules of Engagement”.
For my many empath friends, here are “5 Ways for Empaths to Shield from Negativity”.
From Oprah.com, it’s time to Speak your Truth!
Song of the Week
Here’s a song about speaking your truth. Enjoy Brave, by Sara Bareilles.
Gratitude, and Great Events Ahead!
My August Trip Northeast
Thanks to everyone who made my trip northeast so special, and so successful!
Please remember that I am available to travel at any time for your special events, just call or text 561-655-1160.
I’ll be back in Connecticut from March 23-April 4, so you can book your party now!
Professional Development Day (Pre-Conference Intensive)
If you are a professional tarot reader, or want to be, you should make plans to attend our Professional Development Day. The class schedule is now available on my events page.
TarotCon (Florida) 2016
The speaker line-up for TarotCon is growing! This will be the most exciting tarot convention ever! Tickets are still available. Visit the TarotCon website to reserve yours!
Parties, Classes and Private Readings in West Palm Beach!
I’ll be in West Palm Beach from October 14 - October 23. Private readings will be available by appointment at Pearl’s Room at Unity Church in the Pines, and by appointment at my suite at Homewood Suites.
I will also be teaching a few classes at Pearl’s, so check her Meetup to attend.
I have a few dates available to do house calls, psychic parties and gatherings in your South Florida home or office. Simply call or text 561-655-1160 to reserve your time.
Orbifold Tarot
with Michael Bridge-Dickson
Breaking Town Tarot's Elements Part 7 - Earth
After exploring and reflecting on our intuitive, sensual, emotional inner realms through Water, we settle in Earth, whose unique quality is solidity. Earth condenses the other three Elements, anchoring us in the here-and-now concerns of reality. This tangibility is sometimes seen as being “less spiritual” than the other Elements, but as a condensation of Air, Fire, and Water, Earth contains the potential of all Four Elements — through it, we gain access to our physical experience of all Elements by linking, consolidating, and expressing the virtues of all levels of being.
Where Water accumulates memories of the past, Fire projects its actions into the future, and Air moves the mind into any direction, in any world; Earth is built on the eternal present. More and more, with the influence of Eastern spiritual traditions, being present is seen as the epitome of spiritual practice, and for good reason: being present keeps us rooted in our experiences — and indeed, in ourselves. It has even become a somewhat cliche tenet of modern spirituality: to “be in the present moment” is the dictum of many contemporary seekers, from the experientially seasoned to those flirting with the path toward self-knowledge, and all of us who are our individual stages along this path.
As common as this concept is, many of us have difficulty finding and staying “in the present moment.” We remain ungrounded, our experiences tainted by memories of the past and projections into the future, or even a sheer disconnect into what never was, isn’t, and may never be. It’s not that these ruminations are not helpful, they are: we learn from and are formed by our past, we must always carry ourselves into the future, and imagination and rationale on every plane creates the possibility for anything — even the seemingly impossible — to come true.
Without Air, Fire, and Water, Earth would eternally sit, unchanged and unmoving. It’s this timeless nature of Earth that is the key to understanding it, and indeed to unlocking the secret of “being in the present.” That is, this elusive “present moment” doesn’t exist. Time is a continuum, a process, that cannot be pinned down: each moment becomes instantly the past, and the future cannot be caught as it passes us into the past… and yet, there is no denying that we are in life, as it is happening.
So what is this “present moment” stuff, and what does it have to do with Earth?
While the present moment may be intangible, and we may even waste a great deal of time and effort chasing it, presence is eternal. Presence is like Earth, in that if unacted upon by the other elements, it will remain unchanged. This means that we disturb our ability to be present throguh the necessary effects of Air, Fire, and Water. Since these Elements are crucial to our existence within time, our necessary participation in the flow of life, we must somehow find a way to carry the Earth Element along with us. This is what is being indicated by the idea of being “in the present moment,” but I propose that to make the Earth Element more real for us, that we drop the “moment” part of this tenet:
Simply be.
Eternity is a word we often use to describe the Divine, by whichever name we choose to call it: Spirit, Goddess, God, Source, Universe, The Light, Energy, Love, The Great Being, or the term I prefer, Consciousness. Consciousness, with a capital “C,” can be accessed in many ways, each of them having presence as the common denominator. Of course, each Element has its own form of consciousness, and each brings us into presence in different ways. Nonetheless, if presence is indeed the essence of Earth, Earth then is the nearest to Spirit, Consciousness, as we can get while in this physical plane.
In fact, in Vedic cosmology, the whole reason for a physical plane at all, is for Divinity to experience itself. It is through the manifestation of the physical universe that consciousness becomes real, and hence, achieves self-realization — the goal of spiritual practice. In other words, we become God through our own self-realization, and we do so in the same way that God realized itself by becoming us. Seen in this way, our Earthly existence, our day-to-day lives, simply being — but remaining consciously present — is Divine. This life, at all of its levels, through trials and tribulations, failures and victories, pains, pleasures and ecstasies, is all spiritual. It is all God experiencing itself, and us, in turn, experiencing God through ourselves, and through our relationships with others and our environments; which, if this universe is Consciousness experiencing itself, are all reflections of us as reflections of the Divine.
In this sense, presence grounds us. It grounds us in our being, in our essence as Divinity, our essence as Consciousness. No wonder then, when we are not grounded, our spiritual search can feel empty and disconnected. At the same time, Earth’s density can obscure our ability to interact with the other Elements and experience their effects, thereby anchoring us so deeply that we are dragged out of continual presence into a fixed and stagnant state.
When we read Earth cards in tarot, we are being given the opportunity to experience this presence, this consciousness, through our everyday lives. Looking at the Earth cards alone, the lower-numbered cards may indicate simpler experiences, and a reminder to find the joy in those simpler things, especially if we have lost touch with the Earth Element and our ability to be present. Lower numbers may also indicate that we are already well in touch with our presence, that we needn’t a drastic reminder to stay present and grounded precisely because we do so in life’s simple things.
Higher numbers may indicate the fullness of recognizing the divine in the everyday, the fulfillment of self-realization within the presence of being. However, those same higher numbers can also remind us that we may be so bogged down in practical matters that we have lost touch with our eternal essence within — Earth’s density obscuring Consciousness. The middle numbers, then, indicate challenges and developments along the way.
Consciousness reflects itself in us through Earth through relationship, through differentiation, and since Earth is both the condensation and container of all Elements, our understanding of ourselves and recognition of our Divinity hinges upon not just Earth, but the relationship of all Elements. If we lose our ability to be present directly through Earth, the same Elements that can unground us can also bring us back, through experience, to our being. It is, after all, this interaction of Elements that ensures life’s timeless and continual flow. And by the same token, if Earth’s density anchors us too heavily, our recourse is to reconnect with other Elements. Earth in balance holds all Elements both in potential and fulfillment.
Because of Earth’s relationship with the other three Elements, we will not read using only Earth cards the way we did with Air, Fire, and Water. Instead, let’s explore a way of using all Elements to bring us deeper into presence, and deeper into our being.
Separate your Ace to Ten Minors from the rest of the deck, and then separate the Earth cards and set the other 30 aside. You’ll first draw an Earth card to represent your current connection with Earth. This can be chosen at random, or better yet, try to experience your current degree of integration with Earth on a scale from One to Ten and select a card to represent that. For instance, if you feel weighed down by the weight of the world, you might select the Ten of Earth (setting aside the standard interpretation of this card as fulfillment for the moment, recognizing the density of this card). Or, if you currently feel very ungrounded, you might choose the Ace or Two of Earth, recognizing the instability of these low numbers. Feeling stuck or challenged, yet present with your reality may be somewhere from the set of middle cards, particularly the Five (but again this would depend on the degree and your relationship with each number). If you use reversals, you may also choose to use your relationship with the reversals to indicate your current level if “earthiness.”
Next, select a card and use that as an indicator as to how to bring your current Earth state into greater balance. There are several options here: you could simply select another Earth card, and observe the development or regression of this second card as your guide to further balancing your current state.
Since this state, though, is in relationship with the other Elements, I’d suggest selecting a card from the Ace to Ten Minors of Air, Fire, and Water that you separated earlier, but shuffled together. This will give you both a direction and a degree, depending on the suit and number that you wind up drawing. Use what you explored in the one-Element exercises previously to integrate this second Element with Earth and help balance it.
A third option is to include the remaining Earth cards so that you are selecting from 39 Minors.
Lastly, if you’d like a more in-depth look at the interrelationship between the Elements and your present state of groundedness, separate each suit and select a card from each with your earlier selected Earth card as your base:
Again, we’re working in degrees first, then any accompanying significance.
So in this example, Four of Earth is the current state. It is roughly mid-way on our scale, so there’s a feeling of density, solidity, but it is neither burdensome nor fully actuated. The stability of the Four indicates a state of pause.
There is comfort in the home, some sense of stability, but that stability is close and defined, it doesn’t stretch out very far. It could be indicating that the person feels grounded and secure (and present) at home, but becomes ungrounded when outside that zone — a fairly common experience for many of us. Due to this frame, however, perhaps the person is not fully experiencing life, not honoring the Divine within through interaction, but rather holding that presence to themselves. While comfortable, they may halting their own progress by being anchored in this reality.
To bring more balance to this stage of Earth for this person, at the Air level they may want to start thinking beyond this comfort state. Interaction may begin through written or verbal communication, studying subjects adjacent, but not oppositional, to their areas of interest. It may also require an ability to have a sense of humour about their fondness for comfort and the ways in which they seek stability.
In terms of their actions, in the fire realm, they need to put forth a fair bit of effort and complete projects, see things through to their end, and ensure their efforts and actions go all the way. They are extremely passionate, and that passion will help drive this person to express their being more fully. It would also be good to wrap up any loose ends, as unfinished business (whether personal or professional) may be sustaining the Four-state of Earth.
At the sensory level, another Five, indicating again a movement out of the comfort of personal stability into a larger, communal or interactive stage.Sometimes I like to think of the Fives as the transition from being a big fish in a small pond in the Four to being a small fish in a big pond — or at least another fish equal to a number of other fishes in the Six. The Five represents the in-between, and the struggle that occurs when recognizing the advantages and disadvantages of both the Four and the Six. Some of the advantages of the Four are given up for certain disadvantages in the Six, but we do it because the disadvantages of the Four we gain advantage over at the Six. Since the Five appeared twice here (and even the Ten of Fire can be seen as Five X 2, so among the non-Earth Elements we have 4 Fives, the Four of Earth extending out into a multiple of 4 Fives).
Through this exercise, we start to see how Elements interact and affect each other with Earth as our foundation, and its potential leads us toward understanding Court Cards and Elemental Dignities.
In the meantime, Earth cards hint at the continuity of being — that no matter how heavy or light life feels, despite the density of our circumstances, presence is eternal. When working with Earth, remember to simply be:
Be conscious.
Be present.
Be alive.
Find Michael Bridge Dickson and the Orbifold Tarot online, and meet him in person at TarotCon Florida 2016!
Image from Crystal Vision Tarot by Jennifer Galasso
Your One-Card Weekly Reading
Five of Swords
Appropriate for our topic this week, your one-card reading is the Five of Swords.
Here we see that a battle has occurred, with a clear winner, and a clear loser.
This week, chose your battles carefully. When you are ready to take a stand, stand tall, and risk all.
If you are fighting on the side of right, your belief in your cause will give you strength to endure, and, perhaps, to triumph.
Upcoming Events
Monday, August 29, 7 pm
Global Tarot Circle
Live on Facebook
Join us for our regular monthly free tarot webinar, with a twist! We’ll do our usual questions, readings, interpretations, sharing and exercises, but this time we will do it on Facebook Live!
Simply visit my business page on Facebook and hit “like”, then, visit the page at the event time. You can watch the live feed, and chat in the comment section!
Bring your tarot cards and get ready to spend a fast-paced hour with tarot friends from around the world!
Tuesday, August 30, 5:30 pm
An Evening with the Tarot
Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library
1505 North Nebraska Avenue, Tampa, 33602
Join me at the library as I present the art, history and culture of tarot!
Coming Soon:
October 7 Professional Development Day (PreConference Intensive)
October 8-9 TarotCon (Florida) 2016
October 14-23 Christiana's Trip to West Palm Beach. Call or test 561-655-1160 to schedule your party, house call or private reading.
About Christiana
Christiana Gaudet
Origins Spa and Wellness Center
1537 N Dale Mabry Highway #102
Lutz, FL 33548
Private telephone, Skype and in person 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 or call 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.
Agent inquiries are welcome.
A Mindful Daily Practice
Do something every day and you'll be better, and better at it! Explore Water in the Orbifold Tarot, and make an appointment to see me in CT!
We’ve all heard the expression “practice makes perfect”. Whatever it is we try to master, the more we do it, the better at doing it we become.
When we are young, we are often required to practice at a musical instrument or a sport. Sometimes, as adults, we feel we don’t have the time to “waste” on something that seems so frivolous.
The truth is, having a daily practice, be it creative, practical or spiritual, has many benefits, even beyond perfecting a skill.
When we take a few moments out of our day to exercise, to meditate, to study or to play, we are honoring our commitment to growth, and our commitment to a fuller life.
When we discipline ourselves to learn something new, or to perfect a skill, we are both mindful in the moment, and investing in our future.
Sometimes, committing to a daily practice, even a simple one, causes anxiety and shame when we aren’t always able to fulfill that commitment to ourselves. That’s where mindfulness comes in.
A daily practice offers us the ability to take time every day to be in the moment with something that is important to us. If we have to skip a day, we need to stay in the moment, without guilt or regret. Our daily intention will translate into something we do most days, and that has to be good enough.
Sometimes, even taking a moment to think about and visualize our practice, even if we don’t have the opportunity to actually engage in it on a specific day, will keep our commitment strong and keep us grounded in that important energy of mindful practice.
The COTD: An Easy Daily Tarot Practice
I’ve been considering that my tarot practice is much more than my tarot business. My tarot practice is a daily commitment to growth and healing.
A daily tarot practice is easy, and is something anyone with a tarot deck can develop, whether you are a brand-new beginner or a seasoned pro.
One of the easiest daily tarot practices to master is the Card of the Day, or COTD.
If you are a new student, you can use this practice to actually learn the cards. If you know the cards well, you can use this practice to connect with the energy of a particular card each day, and let that card support and inform your day.
Simply choose a time of day (usually in the morning or evening) to pull one card. You can write about it or you can meditate on it, or just think about it.
Don’t think of it as predictive, as much as instructive.
How is this card currently present in your life?
Do you want it to be present it your life, or is this an energy you need to mitigate?
What advice does this card give you for the day?
Taking a few moments every day to be mindful with tarot will give insight and grounding, and will sharpen your tarot skills!
From My Desk to Yours
Last week, I got to see the premiere of Star Trek Beyond! I shared my thoughts on my Dark Forest Blog.
On my Community Blog, and with a YouTube video, I answered a question about why you might not want to do a tarot reading.
On my Personal Blog, I shared something I learned about sales and marketing when I was selling flowers on the streets of New Haven. It’s called, “Let the Flowers Sell Themselves”.
From Around the Web
So many of my friends join me in loving the ukulele. So, this is for you. It’s Stewart’s Ukulele Songbook! You’re welcome.
The Smithsonian wrote about divination!
From The New Yorker, here is some Advice for Young Writers. I think this works for writers of any age!
Song of the Week
Here’s Buddy Holly’s “Every Day”, with some rare footage of him and his band.
Connecticut, TarotCon, West Palm Beach and FPG
My next few months will be very busy. Please know that, where ever I am, I have the time and ability to do a phone reading for you, so never hesitate to reach out for an appointment.
Early next week, I fly to Connecticut for two weeks. I’ll be doing house parties throughout Connecticut, and in surrounding states. I will also be doing private readings at True Bikram Yoga in Madison. To schedule your hour or half hour, call or text 561-655-1160.
TarotCon
TarotCon is fast approaching, and the line-up of speakers is phenomenal! Michael Bridge-Dickson, who has been contributing a column to this newsletter, will be presenting, along with Lisa Hunt, Geraldine Amaral, Alice Smeets, Michael M. Hughes, Steph Engert, Nora Huszka, Marcy Currier, Angelo Nasios and more.
We’ll have plenty of vendors, and some very special activities for our Saturday evening poolside banquet.
There is still time to register, so do it now. Remember, too, that I, along with Jenna Matlin, Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin, will be presenting a special professional development day on the Friday prior to TarotCon.
West Palm Beach
I’ll be in West Palm Beach from October 14 to October 23. During that time, I will be teaching classes, performing a psychic gallery and doing some private readings in Pearl’s room at Unity Church in the Pines.
I’ll also be booking private readings in my hotel suite, and booking house parties throughout South Florida. If you would like to reserve your time now, call or text 561-655 1160. Stay tuned for information about classes and gatherings during that time!
FPG
I’ve been asked to be one of the headliners at FPG this November. I’ll also be reading tarot in the vending area. FPG is one of the best and longest running festivals in the country, so don’t miss it!
I’m grateful to everyone who have helped to make all these wonderful things possible in my life, and hope these events make it possible for me to see you soon!
Orbifold Tarot
with Michael Bridge-Dickson
Breaking Town Tarot's Elements
Part 6 - Water
From the burning, transformative efforts of Fire, we turn to the soothing sensitivity of Water. In contrast to the sharp, consuming radiation of Fire, Water is soft, receptive, and giving. Both have transformative qualities, with equal capacity for destruction and creation. But where Fire is light, releasing heat as it consumes, Water is heavy and absorbs heat. Directionally, Fire spreads from its source, never turning back; whereas Water ebbs and flows, constantly pushing forward and receding.
Where Fire related to our efforts and actions, which are essentially irreversible, Water relates to our sensations, feelings, and emotions, which are perpetually in flux. Water also relates to “the Waters of our minds” the deeper, usually sub- or unconscious parts of the mind that are dark and mysterious.
The relationship between our sensations and the recesses of our minds is not a distant one, but before we dive into the depths of the mysterious unconscious, let’s wade into the realm of sensation, feeling, and emotion — words that are often used interchangeably, but I feel there is a difference between these layers, and it’s useful to make that differentiation
Sensations are essentially neutral — they are just that: sensations. Water’s receptive quality is exhibited through sensation: we are constantly receiving feedback through each of our senses, and not just touch. Despite this constant receptivity, not all sensations are registered at the conscious level, but we’ll look at that in a moment.
Feelings are our response to sensation, where our system sorts the feedback received through the senses as being relevant or irrelevant, pleasurable or painful, safe or dangerous. These responses leave their trace, in the same way that Water marks where it has been. Again, our responses to sensation — our feelings — are not always registered consciously, but are nonetheless stored by our system, akin to Water absorbing solubles.
Emotions are what we label our feelings, how we attempt to process our responses to feelings and make sense of them, especially when they are contradictory. Emotions are where the complexity of our experiences plays out, and being further removed from direct sensation, they are often confusing and mysterious to the conscious mind, often requiring calm reflection such as in meditation and dream states, where the conscious mind is more passive. Emotions are also where we outwardly show our reactions to sensation and feeling, how we express those feelings.
We often like to think that our actions are ruled by the conscious mind, that everything we do is a result of cognitive thought. But the source of our actions and even our thoughts both before and after action have their source in sensations, which are then mediated by the subconscious before becoming conscious thought or performed actions. Nearly everything we do and think is a response to sensation — but socialization complicates these responses, at all levels.
From very early on, we are taught that certain sensations are acceptable, and others are not. This stretches well beyond simply right or wrong, but is mired in social complexity. Pleasurable sensations are not always favored, and are often covered over with externally imposed emotions, while painful sensations are avoided and suppressed. Some of us learn that we should feel guilt, shame, or jealousy when we experience joy; and we are often taught that pain and sorrow should neither be felt nor expressed.
Like Water releasing what it has absorbed, how we express emotion is based on what we’ve been exposed to, the ways we’ve experienced others responding to their own sensations, feelings, and emotions. This is seen as part of our development in becoming “emotionally mature,” and while managing our expression of emotion is absolutely crucial both individually and socially, the result is often far more confused and not at all what we later come to know as actual “maturity.”
In the process, we often lose touch with the root of emotion and its expression: direct sensation. We cease to acknowledge sensation as it happens, suppressing or even repressing our natural capacity to feel: we turn ourselves off, not only from “negative” emotions, but positive ones as well. This causes numbness; the dull experience of depression, where nothing is felt, nothing is interesting, nothing but apathy is expressed. We may then seek out perpetually more extreme sensations, just to feel something — and this can often lead to destructive behaviour as the need for sensation intensifies.
At the opposite extreme of emotional expression, we can become so overwhelmed with sensations that we cannot process them effectively; every sensation is magnified like the lensing effect of a Water droplet amplifying the veins of a leaf.
Either way, we store these sensations along with the feelings and emotions tied to them in the abyss of our sub-and un-conscious minds. The mysteries of our murky depths become frightening and alien, explored in strange dreams and nightmares that disturb the recouperative sleep states. Often, this material is so dark and unfamiliar that this natural system of dreaming does not bring unconscious material to light, and instead we get recurring dreams that aren’t even remembered — just the sleepless nights these dreams caused.
Our ability to experience these sensations without expression or repression, to let them flow over us is directly related to our ability to express emotions healthily. In the same way that Water reflects, refracts, and distorts light, our emotions distort our memories. The degree is dependent upon the clarity of our emotional state to begin with — the clearer and calm the Water, the less distortion and sharper the reflection; the murkier and disturbed the Water, the more refracted the reflection.
It’s this natural quality of Water to refract and distort that prevents us from being completely objective. No matter what, our memories are colored by our emotions — not only those at the time of any given event, but also those tied to any and all details within and leading up to each event, not to mention our projections about where events are headed.
Because our bodies are between 50-70% Water, depending on our body type, tissue density, age, sex, fitness level, and climate, how we process our emotions is also directly related to the physical presence of Water within us. When the Water Element is dense, like ice, we become cold, unfeeling, hardened, and unable to let emotions flow in and out of us. At the same time, when our bodies are too soft, we can become oversensitive, and erratically emotional, like a turbulent sea tossing us from one stormy state to the next. And, when Water is lacking, when we are dehydrated, we can become stiff, and bitter, grasping on to any and all feelings, no matter how dry in an attempt to conserve Water.
As we become more adept at processing our emotions, though, the best qualities of Water emerge. Our ability to adapt, to go with the flow of life increases. We are more able to absorb and experience difficult sensations, feelings, and emotions without drowning in them. We also become more loving and nurturing, not only supporting our own life force, but that of others around us — we become buoyant, floating on a seemingly endless emotional reservoir whose bottom we may never know.
The mysterious depths of the mind become navigable, and fear of the unknown turns to curiosity, in the same way that Water seeps into every crack and crevice. We are free to explore life and our experiences.
The key to this is to return to sensation. Whenever possible, and as often as possible, acknowledge the sensations of everyday experience as you navigate through your own world. Recognize the temperature, texture, weight, intensity, taste, sounds, color, shape, and smell of the things around you, the things touching you. Develop as much subtlety as possible, no sensation too mild to be felt, none too intense to fully experience, and no range from mild to intense so wide that you cannot appreciate each degree in between.
Watch throughout each day as sensations, along with their feelings and emotions, rise and fall, ebb and flow. Let each sensation wash over you, gathering debris and then releasing out. Notice when and where you do not fully feel your sensations, either by cutting yourself off from them or by expressing so quickly that the ability to contain sensation does not allow you time to feel.
In this process of observing sensation, assign a number to each one in a scale of intensity from 1 to 10 (or even 0 to 10 if you prefer). Be as precise as possible, using decimals as necessary, and then round the number up or down as you see fit. See what happens to each sensation as you attempt to assign a precise number and also see what happens when you round the number. Just like Water, the sensation will not want to be pinned down so precisely; but also like Water, the sensation will adapt as you round up or down.
Don’t be concerned about being right or wrong, but instead be as true as possible to your experience: one person’s 8.6 will be another’s 10, while yet another’s will be more like a 4.2 — each is equally valid, but subjective. The more you practice this exercise, the more objective it will become.
To increase this precision, at the end of each day, see what range the sensations fell into. Some days will be in the lower range, others in the high range or middle. Some days will have extreme highs and lows, whereas others will have more moderate ranges. Then, within each range, shift your perspective temporarily and stretch the range to span 1 to 10 so that each day, no matter how mild or intense, no matter how calm or erratic, can be expressed as a full range. This stretching of the sensation range can be very helpful if you find you are not already experiencing a wide range of sensation, especially if that limited range seems to stay the same.
From there, to develop even more sensitivity, shift perspectives again and note what the overall degree of sensations was to find a relative average. This is actually narrowing the range, and is particularly helpful if every day vacillates drastically from stormy sea to smooth sailing, from violent hurricane to smooth ripples, and from downpour to light drizzle.
In widening and narrowing the range that you experience sensations in, you are opening up your ability to feel those sensations, while at the same time gaining just enough perspective to reflect on the accompanying feelings and emotions. You will start to see how, from moment to moment, day to day, month to month, and beyond, the field of sensations is a tide that swells and retreats. and you’ll start to feel how each sensation flows from one to the next.
This full experience of sensation leads to one of the most profound qualities of Water: intuition. As you feel and experience subtle sensations more fully and consciously, and as you develop the capacity to experience intensity without disturbance, all of the sensations that are normally registered and stored away subconsciously rise to to the surface, and can be seen with little to no distortion. Without distortion, this clarity reveals more and more of the subtle realm, leading to intuitive insights and removing the mystery that clouds perception.
Relate this directly to your tarot practice, too. When reading Water cards, notice not only the intensity of the cards themselves, but the degree of transition between them. As we did for the Elements of Air and Fire, take just your Water cards or Cups from your deck, and again for now, just the pips from Ace to Ten. Shuffle them and lay out as many as you like, at least two and up to all ten.
See the patterns of flow from one card to the next, and see them as a wave rising and falling. Note how drastic some transitions are and how mild others are, and even if the wave does not relate to your current experience, recall a time when the events of your life mirrored this wave pattern. It may be helpful to arrange them as a wave.
This example shows an emotional flow that is steadily building, starting with a pretty mild intensity, jumping up and then settling slightly, and then rising until it breaks drastically from the Ten to the Ace. Normally, both the Ace and the Ten are seen as “good” cards, nourishing, abundant, complete — together, they could indicate a movement from fulfillment to purity. Seen as a wave though, this could be a bit of a crash, going from emotional overwhelm to lacking sensation, a backlog of complex emotion to a release of clarity, or any number of other emotional extremes. This large wave then ripples out again, trying to find equilibrium, but is still undulating in reaction to that drastic change... and building up momentum again!
Tying this in to our differentiation between sensation, feeling, and emotion, we can look more simply at a three-card spread for each of these watery layers. We could even incorporate reversals to signify whether they are conscious (upright) or unconscious (reversed). Initially, just look at the intensity, the details can be filled in later.
For example:
Sensation: A manageable, reasonably intense sensation or set of sensations that is registered consciously and seems stable. Nothing to indicate danger, maybe even a sensation of safety, warmth, and ease. It is steady, and may even be consciously familiar
Feeling: The conscious familiarity with this set of sensations makes the feelings about it more unconscious, but those feelings are building. There’s something about the sensation that the person is developing stronger feelings about, but is not acknowledging. Again, these could be positive or negative feelings, but the reaction is more intense than the level of sensation itself. The interiorization may be socially driven.
Emotion: Not acknowledging the intensifying feelings about the initial sensation is leading to more emotional confusion. This mix of emotions, though conscious, are also isolating — those unconscious feelings affect social interactions.
This person may feel lonely, but doesn’t know why. The emotional intensity is high, even though the sensory intensity is moderate.
Incidentally, I drew the Three of Water upright as a possible resolution: compromise. Consciously reduce the intensity of the initial sensation through some gentle movement — walking outside if possible, lessen some of the sense of security afforded by the home.
Explore the social aspect of the repressed feelings through mild social interaction. No big parties or busy events, just a small gathering — again, outside of the home if possible. Manage the emotional intensity by seeing that the emotional reaction is thrice what it needs to be.
Take a wade into the Water, swim, splash, and even dive into it. Near the bottom and on the shores, we will rest next week in Earth.
Find Michael Bridge Dickson and the Orbifold Tarot online, and meet him in person at TarotCon Florida 2016!
Image from Crystal Vision Tarot by Jennifer Galasso
Your One-Card Weekly Reading
Ten of Wands
Your one-card reading is the Ten of Wands.
Often, we see this card as an expression of the burdens we are carrying.
This week, think about your emotional baggage, your sense of responsibility and your daily tasks.
Is there something that is overwhelming you?
Do you feel that you are carrying too much?
Or, do you feel that you are doing what you must do?
If your burdens are emotional, from past hurts, it’s time to put them down.
If your burdens are causes by doing for others who aren’t doing for you, it’s time to let them go.
If your burdens are a difficult part of a necessary path, embrace them, and know that you have the strength to do what you must, and that this path will lead you to your success.
Upcoming Events
July 25th - August 5th
The Spiritual Path of Tarot Telesummit 3 - Tarot Wisdom
There's still time to sign up now to participate in this amazing opportunity to explore tarot, for free!
August 3 - August 17
Parties and Readings Available in Connecticut
Call or text 561-655-1160 to schedule your private reading with me in Madison, CT. My party schedule is quite full, but if you are interested in a last-minute gathering, let me know and I will see what I can do!
August 7, 7pm
Deep Soul Meditation
True Bikram Yoga
1347 Boston Post Rd #201, Madison, CT 06443
Join us for an evening of growth and healing! Using relaxing guided imagery, Christiana will take you on a journey of healing with three specific phases.
Phase One will work with the seven chakras. One by one, you will be guided to release all that does not serve you from each chakra. From there, you will activate each chakra, bringing you to a place of well-being, peace and motivation.
Phase Two is a journey into your soul’s past. In this deep state of meditation, Christiana will help you unlock your soul’s memories of past lives. As you understand your soul’s past, you will more easily understand your current situations and motivations, and be able to release past trauma.
In Phase Three you will look to the future. Using the healing and understanding that has come from the first two meditations, you will be able to clearly focus your vision on creating your best possible future. This technique of creative visualization is designed to help you set and reach goals, attracting into your life the people and situations that will create the best possible future for you.
Call or text 561-6554-1160 to reserve your seat. Class fee: $30.
Coming Soon:
TarotCon (Florida) 2016 will take place October 8th and 9th, with a special Professional Development Day on the 7th, in Palm Beach Gardens. Make your reservations now!
About Christiana
Christiana Gaudet
Origins Spa and Wellness Center
1537 N Dale Mabry Highway #102
Lutz, FL 33548
Private telephone, Skype and in person 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 or call 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.
Agent inquiries are welcome.
The Power of Setting Your Intention
The Tarot Wisdom Telesummit begins Monday, Global Tarot Circle meets Wednesday. Set your intention for the future you want to manifest!
Have you ever heard the expression, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”? This old cliché reminds us that what we do matters more than what we intend to do.
However, intentions have power, when we use them the right way.
When we set a goal or state an intention, we set an energy in motion. Of course, that energy will never manifest without our follow-though. Nonetheless, in the single moment we state a clear intention, we begin the journey toward manifesting something new and desirable in our lives.
When we state our intention to the people we care about, they hold us accountable to that intention. This motivates us to do the work we need to do in order to achieve our goal. When we allow others to support our intentions our forward momentum increases.
When we state our intention to the Universe, or pray to a Higher Power, we invoke a powerful force to help us on our journey.
Sometimes, the struggle is to discern what it is we really want; what our intention should be. We may have a hard time determining what is possible to achieve. We may set our sights too low, or try to take on the impossible.
There are many ways to state an intention. We can write it down, we can create a formal ritual, we can tell our friends.
An important part of this process is visualizing our eventual success, and imagining the moment when our intention becomes reality. We have to be able to see a possibility, and believe in that possibility, in order to more easily turn that possibility into a reality.
Three Ways Tarot Can Assist your Intentions
Tarot, as a tool for introspection, helps us communicate with our higher self to determine our true desires. As a spiritual tool, tarot helps us communicate our intentions to the Universe. Tarot can help us visualize our success, and can keep us on track when we become distracted.
1. Divination: Use tarot to help you decide on your intention by divining on this question, “What is it that I really want/need to manifest in my life right now?” As you move forward, use divination to help you stick to your goal, by asking questions such as, “What more do I need to do to achieve my goal?”
2. Communication: Look through your deck and cognitively (not at random) find cards that represent your goals, and your pathway to success. As you find these cards, spend time with the images. Use these images to communicate your intention to yourself, and to the Universe. State your intention aloud as you look at the images you have chosen.
3. Meditation: Find cards, either cognitively or drawn at random, that represent your goal. Meditate with these cards, and imprint their images into your mind. As you hold the images in your mind’s eye, visualize yourself achieving your goal.
From my Desk to Yours
This week, on my Community Blog, I wrote about the crossing card in the Celtic Cross spread. Tarotists of all levels of experience will enjoy this in-depth exploration into tarot reading.
I also joined Docs.com, where you can follow me to see a growing list of presentations and tarot study materials.
From Around the Web
Have you heard about “hugging meditation”? See an article on brainpickings.org that describes what Zen Buddhist Teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has to say about this!
Here is a light, fun, informative article about tarot history from Atlas Obscura.
From Deepak Chopra, here are “5 Steps to Setting Powerful Intentions”.
Song of the Week
I found a video of Frank Sinatra singing “High Hopes” with a group of children. Priceless!
The Spiritual Path of Tarot Telesummit 3 - Tarot Wisdom Begins Monday!
Register for The Spiritual Path of Tarot Telesummit 3 - Tarot Wisdom now!
20 Tarot teachers are coming together July 25 through August 5, for two one-hour calls every weekday, to show you how to access your wisdom & higher guidance through deepening (or re-energizing!) your understanding of the Tarot.
Host Kim Wilborn has asked every teacher to speak about the tarot topics they find most meaningful, with each presentation focused on helping you engage with the wisdom of the Tarot in a deeper way.
I’ll be speaking about tarot as a tool of healing.
I chose this topic because, over the years, I have seen so much healing come out of tarot readings, tarot study, and other tarot techniques. I am so excited to share the ways tarot heals us with you.
Each call will be like a mini-class, complete with guided meditations! You’ll be able to listen to live calls online, by phone, or via Skype, and free 48-hour replays will allow you to listen at your convenience. (Low-priced recordings are also available to make it even easier!)
If you would like to deepen (or refresh!) your alignment with a spiritual tool that can bring you clarity and insight while it lights your way to joyfully fulfilling your personal Soul Purpose, register today for our telesummit!
Image from Crystal Vision Tarot by Jennifer Galasso
Your One-Card Weekly Reading
Strength
This week, your card is Major Arcana 8, Strength.
Never doubt your own strength, nor your ability to manifest what you need in life.
Recognize that you are strongest when you are willing to be fierce, but temper that fierceness with love, compassion and gentleness.
This week, find your balance between your wild side and your gentle side.
Determine when it is best to be quiet and patient, and when it is best to roar and show your teeth, for both of these energies are needed to create success.
Upcoming Events
July 25th - August 5th
The Spiritual Path of Tarot Telesummit 3 - Tarot Wisdom
Sign up now to participate in this amazing opportunity to explore tarot, for free!
Wednesday, July 27, 7 pm
Global Tarot Circle
Free WebEx Webinar Available Exclusively Online!
Join us for our monthly tarot study! Whatever your level of tarot knowledge, you will learn, grow and have fun as we share readings, questions, thoughts and ideas.
You can call in, or log in, by following the instructions on the event listing on my website.
Coming Soon:
I will be available for private readings and house parties in Connecticut and surrounding areas from August 3 to August 17. Call 561-655-1160 to get on the schedule now!
TarotCon (Florida) 2016 will take place October 8th and 9th, with a special Professional Development Day on the 7th, in Palm Beach Gardens. Make your reservations now!
About Christiana
Christiana Gaudet
Origins Spa and Wellness Center
1537 N Dale Mabry Highway #102
Lutz, FL 33548
Private telephone, Skype and in person 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 or call 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.
Agent inquiries are welcome.