Keep Trying or Walk Away?

There are many times in life when we have to make a clear decision. Should I keeping trying, or should I walk away?

We might ask this question in regard to a relationship, or to a business venture, or as we try to master a new skill.

There are two pieces of common wisdom about this conundrum which contradict each other. One is something I heard very often as I was growing up. I bet you did, too.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.

The other is a quote often misattributed to Albert Einstein.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

It’s easy to see the wisdom in both.

What are the factors we need to consider when making this sort of decision?

If what we are working toward is something that is likely to get better with practice, trying again is usually the right thing to do.

If what we are working toward is something that requires teamwork, and other team members aren’t on board, it is probably time to walk away.

If what we are doing is based on a firm ethical stance, we probably need to stay the course.

If what we are doing is based on what someone else thinks we should do, we may not have the commitment needed to succeed.

Over my years as a tarot reader I have seen countless stories of people who have finally found success after trying and failing many times. I have also seen people waste a lot of time and energy on something that had very little potential even from the beginning.

In the end, it seems smart to rely less on common wisdom and more on the logical assessment of each individual situation.

It is also true that we need to look closely at our own motivations. If we know the truth about why we are doing something we will have an easier time deciding if we should indeed continue to try to do that thing.

This is an area of life where divination can be extraordinarily helpful, not to predict what we will do, but to help us weigh  and understand our decision more carefully.

The StaarCorner

Our most recent episode of StaarCast is super-special because it is an interview with Benebell Wen, one of our two headlining presenters.

Benebell will be presenting both Saturday and Sunday. In our interview she shares her topic for her Sunday presentation.

You can watch the interview on YouTube, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Join Me for a Free Library Presentation on Zoom!

Tomorrow, Thursday, October 29 at 6 pm, I am happy to be presenting my program about the art, history and culture of tarot on Zoom, courtesy of the Land O’ Lakes Library.

This is open to anyone who registers. Simply visit the Pasco Library Events Calendar, or their Facebook page.

Keep Trying or Walk Away Tarot Spread

Here is an enlightening tarot spread you can try when you are stuck in this dilemma. Arrange the cards in any pattern that feels right.

Card One: This is what happens if you keep trying without making any changes.

Card Two: This is a change you can try to make your attempts more successful.

Card Three: This is your outcome if you keep trying with the change suggested in Card Two.

Card Four: This is what happens if you walk away.

Card Five: This is your best reason for walking away.

Card Six: This is something you need to consider as you make this decision.

The Week in Review

This week I wrote a blogpost that was inspired by something that came up in a class on the suit of Cups which I taught on YouTube.

Make sure you catch my social media broadcasts, either live or in archive, on my Facebook business page, on the StaarCon page, and on my YouTube channel.

From Around the Web

Some of my blogposts have caught the attention of Italian tarotists Martino Coppola. With my permission, he has been translating his favorites into Italian and publishing them on his website!

My friend Jenna Matlin, who will be presenting at StaarCon, shared an article on Medium about distance readings.

Here are some tarot spreads for Halloween.

Cards for Your Consideration

Our topic this week might cause us to consider cards that speak of three different things. There are cards that speak of the need to make a decision. There are cards that speak of walking away. And, there are cards that speak of tenacity. When we see all three in a reading, we might have a sense that we are facing this question about whether to keep trying or to walk away.

My favorite cards to speak of the need to make a decision are the Two of Swords, the Seven of Cups, and the Lovers.

My favorite cards that can speak of continuing pursuit of the goal are the Nine of Wands, The Knight of Swords, and the Seven of Pentacles.

My favorite cards that can speak of walking away are the Eight of Cups, the Five of Cups, and the Six of Swords.

There are some cards that can express motion, like the Chariot, but won’t, without the context of a specific question, position, or surrounding cards, let us know whether the motion is toward the goal or away from it.

Events and Tours

Thanks to everyone for their birthday wishes!

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 3 Issue 44
October 28, 2020

An Instrument of Peace

The prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi begins by asking to be made an instrument of peace.

I heard these words so often as I was growing up. Yet, I never considered their power, or their true meaning. Now, more than ever, I feel that it would be a good thing to be a bringer of peace, or an agent of peace. As a tarot reader I try to bring peace to others. As I writer I try to inspire peace in others.

But what is an ‘instrument of peace’?

It turns out that the word ‘instrument’ has many definitions. I chose the first three from Dictionary.com.

An instrument is a mechanical tool or implement, especially one used for delicate or precision work.

An instrument is a contrivance or apparatus for producing musical sounds.

An instrument is a means by which something is done; agency.

The second definition, a musical instrument, translates easily for me. In this context, to be an instrument of peace means I need to communicate in a peaceful way. I need to share thoughts and information that inspire peace.

The first definition is harder. How can I be a tool for peace? That feels more spiritual, as if I need to allow myself to be used by spirit to help create peace in others, and in the world.

The third definition, to be the means that creates peace, is even harder to figure. How can a person be a means for peace?

This is a challenge that becomes a bit of an oxymoron. I believe that to be a means for peace we must sometimes point out injustice and speak about painful things. We need to be an agency for the change that brings peace. Yet, that necessary process can be anything but peaceful.

We all want inner peace.

We all want to be at peace with those we love.

We all want to live in a peaceful environment.

We all want peace on earth.

Can we achieve these things by, like Saint Francis, asking to become an instrument of peace?

I think so.

I think the more each of us focuses on being that instrument, the more peace we will bring to the world.

As we see from the exploration of what an instrument really is, we can become instruments of peace by channeling a peaceful spirit, by communicating in peaceful ways, and by working to create the changes that brings peace.

Before we can do this in the world, we must be able to do this within ourselves. We do this by speaking gently with ourselves. Yet, at the same time, we must be willing to call out our flaws and work to fix our mistakes.

And, we must allow a higher power to work through us.

At a time when the world feels anything but peaceful, may we all find peace within, and work to create peace in the world.

Peace is created by communication. Peace is created though spirit. Peace is created by working to inspire positive change.

The StaarCorner

An annual tarot conference in Florida is something many of us have wanted for a long time. We are excited to meet that need with StaarCon, the Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers Conference.

The first of these annual events is scheduled to happen in January 2021, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

One of our goals is to include many aspects of divination and mysticism, as well as a rich program of tarot knowledge and inspiration. We also plan to include workshops appropriate for people of all levels of study and experience, from curious beginners to trained professionals.

For more information about StaarCon, visit our StaarCon website.

StaarCon Presenter Beverly Frable
Divination

Instrument of Peace Tarot Spread

Using the three definitions of the word ‘instrument’, I have created a three-card tarot spread to help each of us become an instrument of peace.

You can choose as your focus the idea of bringing peace to yourself or bringing peace to the world.

You might even do this spread twice; once for your own inner peace and then to see how you can help bring peace to the world.

Card One: How can I communicate in a more peaceful way?

Card Two: How can I let spirit work through me to create peace?

Card Three: How can I work to create the changes that will bring peace?

Psychic Tarot: Live Webinar on Zoom

Join us on Tuesday, June 30, 7 pm to 9 pm EDT for an exciting and unique tarot webinar live on Zoom.

We all know that a great tarot reading is more than a series of card interpretations. In this class you will learn ways to access wisdom and intuition to bring your tarot readings to life.

Students will experience a series of psychic development exercises, and learn some of the many ways to bring intuition into a tarot reading.

Tarot students of all levels of experience, from beginner to adept, will find this class helpful and informative.

Class fee is $37.50. Register now!

The Week in Review

Did you catch Global Tarot Circle last week? Did you have a chance to catch my new feature on Facebook Live, The Saturday Psychic Sampler?

You can find them both in archive on my Facebook business page and my YouTube channel.

My blogpost this week is The Major Arcana in Action. I tried an exercise of letting each Major Arcana card offer a call to action.

From Around the Web

This week I want to share the websites of some of my favorite tarot readers of color. As we work to build a more just society, it is important that we support one another, and lift one another up.

V., at RedLight Readings, was a fellow speaker at the World Divination Association Virtual Conference, and will be a speaker at StaarCon.

Denour Lacoste is a good friend, a talented reader, and a strong intuitive. She just beginning her career as a professional reader.

Ashley Oppon of Sankofa Healing Sanctuary is a well-known tarotist who offers readings and shamanic healing.

Cards for Your Consideration

I often see Major Arcana Two, the High Priestess, as a card of peace. Yet, there is another card, also a two, that has ‘peace’ as a keyword.

While we often see the Two of Swords as a card of decision-making, the Two of Swords is also the card of peace.

When we think of being an instrument of peace, the Two of Swords offers some insights.

To be an instrument of peace we must be patient, even as storms rage around us.

To be an instrument of peace we must look within, rather than being influenced by what we see around us.

To be an instrument of peace we must reign in our emotions, just as the figure in the Two of Swords crosses off her heart.

To be an instrument of peace we must balance different thoughts and views against one another, and hold space for those differences.

Events and Tours

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 3 Issue 24
June 10, 2020

At the Present Moment

At the Present Moment

Mindfulness, Gratitude and Change

Unless you live under a rock, you have doubtlessly heard the term “mindfulness” recently, in regard to wellbeing, healing, or meditation.

It’s more than a recent fad, however. I remember a book from the 1970s by Ram Dass called, “Be Here Now” which taught the same principles.

Simply put, mindfulness is the practice of staying present.

It’s harder than it sounds.

We often ruminate on the past and worry about the future. It’s certainly important to process what has happened, and to plan for what might happen. It’s good to work to manifest the future we desire. Yet, none of that can happen if we can’t first be present for ourselves and for those around us.

Modern technology can make that task harder because we are often distracted by our portable devices.

One method that I have discovered to help me stay present is deceptively simple. Give it a try and see how it helps you!

In any moment, think of something for which you are grateful, and sit with that feeling of gratitude. Then, acknowledge the temporal nature of whatever that is.

The truth about the present moment is that it will be gone in a flash. Generally, the temporal nature of things makes us fearful. We want to hold on to the present, rather than experiencing it and letting it go. If the present isn’t going well, we want it to be over quickly, and worry that change won’t come quickly enough.

Change is happening around is, and to all, all the time. To be in the present moment, we must be grateful for what is in the present moment, and we must acknowledge, that, whatever it is, it isn’t permanent.

That mix of gratitude and awareness of impending change is a perfect recipe to keep us present.

When we are truly present, we notice more, appreciate more, and experience more.

Even when the present moment is unpleasant, our ability to appreciate what is happening now helps us to make the best decisions and respond to difficulty in the best ways.

When dealing with other people, mindfulness keeps us from reacting without thought. Being present with others helps us understand each other. We deepen our positive relationships and find peace in our problematic relationships.

Those of us who divine for others and work with healing modalities have a particular responsibility to be present for others as we hold space to do our healing work.

Being present and being mindful is a way of holding space for ourselves, and for those around us. It is a way of staying connected to Spirit in even the most mundane of circumstances.

Magic with the Major Arcana Class in Palm City

Join us on Sunday, October 13, 4 pm to 6 pm, for Magic with the Major Arcana!

This will be the very last class in my conference room at 1025 SW Martin Downs Blvd, Suite 203, Palm City FL 34990 before I move to now new office on SW Corporate Parkway.

This magical, mystical journey through the Major Arcana of tarot is just in time for Halloween!

We can use tarot to gain insight and information. We can also use tarot to help us make changes in our lives and manifest our desires.

The twenty-two cards of the Major Arcana contain the “Greater Secrets” of tarot and can be used as a complete divination tool.

In this class, students will learn to interpret the Major Arcana cards in a reading, perform readings with the Major Arcana cards, and use the Major Arcana cards in meditation and manifestation.

This class is appropriate for beginning tarotists as it presents these important cards in an understandable way. Experienced readers will learn deeper meanings and uses for the Major Arcana to add to their tarot practice.

Bring your tarot deck to the class. New tarot decks will be available for purchase.

Class fee is $37.50. Tickets are limited. Get your ticket now!

Tarot to Be Here Now

Tarot is a great tool for mindfulness and meditation. You can pull a single card as a focus for contemplation and meditation.

You can also ask questions to help you keep your mindful focus.

What, in the present moment, can I be grateful for?

How can I quiet my spirit?

How can I be more present for those around me?

How can I be more present for myself?

What do I need to focus on right now?

What do I need to release in order to be more mindful?

The Week in Review

This week I shared a post about three-card tarot readings. Three card readings are a popular way to work with tarot. I was excited to share some techniques and thoughts about this method.

I do a Three-Card reading every week on Facebook Live! If you miss it, you can watch it in archive on my Facebook business page, or on my YouTube channel.

From Around the Web

Here is Mindful.org, with lots of great information on Mindfulness Meditation.

Even the Mayo Clinic recommends mindfulness!

From Shape magazine, an article on tarot and meditation.

My New Palm City Office

On November 1, 2019, Card and Craft, Inc. will move to a lovely, larger office in Palm City. Our new address will be 3559 SW Corporate Parkway, Palm City, 34990. The new location is off Martin Downs Blvd., and a bit closer to both I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike.

We are located in the Parkway Plaza, near Coquina Cove.

This new location will offer greater comfort for readings and instruction, and more space for classes and events. Watch this newsletter to see a schedule of great events.

Remember, if you make an appointment to see me after November 1, you will be coming to my new location!

Cards for Your Consideration

The Two of Swords, pictured here from the Universal Waite Tarot, is often considered a card of decision-making, and having choices at hand. Yet, Aleister Crowley called the Two of Swords “The Lord of Peace Restored”.

One way to look at this card is that we are holding space in the moment, waiting to see what will happen next, and what we need to do next.

The blindfold could indicate a need to look inward, and to be informed by our own intuition.

All of the Two cards in tarot, included the High Priestess, can speak of a certain type of peace. In each of these cards, we have an inherent understand that the peace we are feeling is in the moment. Soon, the energy will shift, and we will spring into action. For now, we are still.

Upcoming Events and Tours

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 2 Issue 41
October 9, 2019

Keep Trying or Walk Away?

Keep Trying or Walk Away?

In the face of failure, what will your next step be?

Failure is hard to handle. Very often, though, when we fail at something, or when it feels like something isn’t working the way we had hoped, we are faced with an important decision.

Should I keep trying, or is it time to walk away?

There is not a universal answer to this difficult question; each situation is different.

When we fail, we often wonder if the universe is trying to tell us that we have chosen the wrong pursuit, and that this is a sign to pick a new direction.

There is a belief amongst many in the spiritual community that if we are on our correct path, everything will fall into place easily. Sometimes that may be true, but sometimes I think the universe wants us to fight for what we want, or to learn from our struggles along the way.

Sometimes it’s best not to spiritualize our process, but instead to simply make a decision about what we want our next step to be. It’s hard to make that decision when we are feeling sad or shamed about our failure.

Here’s an example of someone who kept trying and won. I have a friend who needed to pass a test in order to receive a professional certification. She took the test several times, failed and stopped trying. Eventually, she gathered her courage and tried again. On her seventh attempt she passed her test! That’s a true testament to the idea that if we keep trying, we can ultimately succeed.

On the other hand, sometimes we end up feeling like we’ve wasted a lot of time and effort. There is a certain nobility in the idea of never giving up, and sometimes that nobility is well-placed. Sometimes it’s not. I have seen many people struggle to keep unhealthy relationships together because they don’t want to give up on the relationship, when, in fact, giving up is the only sane thing to do.

How can you decide when it’s time to keep trying, or when it’s time to walk away? You’ll find a divination technique later in this newsletter. Beyond divination, there are some logical points to consider in this process.

Of course, we prefer it when we can check in with our intuition and feel our spiritual guidance. Yet, sometimes when we are confused and stressed, guidance doesn’t seem clear. With or without a sense of spiritual guidance and purpose, logic is always an important tool to employ.

The first question to ask yourself is about the cost of trying again. If you are trying to fix an abusive relationship, that cost might be too high. If you are trying to win a competition or pass a test, the cost in time, effort and money might be completely acceptable.

The second thing you must ask is about your skill level. Do you have reason to believe that you have what it takes to hit your mark? In the case of my friend who passed her test on the seventh try, she had good evidence that she had the skill because she had passed a similar test previously.

The third thing you must consider is this. How badly do you want it? Do you really want to achieve this goal? Are you doing it because you want to please someone else? Are you trying to fit into a narrative that doesn’t fit you? Do you have a clear understanding of what this success would actually mean for you?

By asking these questions, and answering them honestly, you can move yourself closer to coming to the decision that will serve you best.

Psychic Gallery Tonight!

join me tonight, Wednesday, July 17 at 7 pm, for a very special evening. I will be presenting a psychic gallery in a small, intimate setting at the Center for Inner Wisdom, 4849 N Dixie Hwy, Suite 2, Oakland Park, Florida 33334.

I love doing psychic galleries because the energy of sacred space, and the energy of a group united for a single purpose, creates the perfect environment in which to receive powerful messages.

In this gallery, every person who attends will receive a reading that offers pertinent information and insight. You may even receive a message from a loved one in spirit!

Group members will hold space and support each other. Everyone will benefit from hearing and witnessing every message.

Ticket price is $30, seating is limited. You can register online now!

 Decision-Making Divination

I have a very simple decision-making tarot technique which I think could be used with any oracle deck. Simply consider your options and pull one card for each option. Sometimes I like to add a card to represent options I haven’t yet considered.

Sometimes when you look at the cards the answer will be immediately clear. Sometimes the cards will give an answer that suggests either path will work out fine. Sometimes you might want more information. Then, pull another card for each option and see how those cards gives clarity.

Often you will find yourself in the process of weighing one card against the other. Which card has a stronger message? Which card fits more clearly with the situation at hand?

Beyond the messages you will receive from the cards, the value of working this process in a meditative way is that it will cause you to calm down and consider things in a different light. Very often, from this process, your answer will finally become clear.

In the case of this week’s topic, you might ask, with the first card, “What happens if I try again?” With the second card, you might ask, “What happens if I walk away?”

See Me in the Tampa Bay Area This Weekend!

I will be in the Tampa Bay Area Friday, July 19 through Monday, July 22. I still have a few openings for house calls this coming Friday and Saturday, as well as Monday morning. Please call or text 561-655-1160 if you would like to schedule to have an in-person reading with me.

On Sunday, July 21, we will have our Tarot Meetup at Panera Bread in Lutz, from 3 pm to 5 pm. Join us there for tarot study and fellowship!

 The Week in Review

I am now selling a large assortment of tarot (and a few favorite oracle) decks in my Palm City office and on my website. Here is a description of how I energetically prepare the decks for you, and instructions on the traditional ways to dedicate your new deck.

This week I shared a post about why we shouldn’t fear our tarot cards. You might get a paper cut, but other than that, the practice of tarot reading is completely safe.

Did you catch my Three-Card Reading for the week on Monday? If you missed it, find it in archive on my YouTube Channel, and hit subscribe while you are there.

I’m featured on the Psychic Talk Radio Network with a tip for fellow readers, in a segment called “Rx for Readers…Tips for Self-Care”. You can see my tip here.

From Around the Web

Have you ever noticed that people will stubbornly cling to an opinion, even when presented with facts that prove their opinion wrong? Here’s an article that explains why that happens.

The very talented and generous Benebell Wen has created a new oracle and made it available for download for free! Get your Chinese Oracle Bone Divination Cards!

Here’s an opportunity to learn about and support an interesting and unique divination deck on Kickstarter.

Image from Spiral Tarot by Kay Steventon, published by US Games,copyright 1997. Used with permission.

Cards for Your Consideration

In keeping with our topic this week, I would like you to consider the Two of Swords from Spiral Tarot by Kay Steventon.

Spiral Tarot follows the Waite tradition fairly closely. Much like the Waite Two of Swords, we see the woman is blindfolded, and has crossed off her heart. In this image, though, she is also balancing on a tightrope. For me, the tightrope is a great addition to the symbolism of this card, representing the delicate balance that we must strike when we make important decisions.

The suit of Swords is associated with the element of Air, which is about the powers of the mind. Two is the number of balance and decisions. The blindfold suggests that she must look within and trust her own processes to keep her balance and make her decision. That she has crossed off her heart suggests that she must make this decision without the interference of emotion.

When you see this card in a reading, consider that there may be a need to weigh your options carefully. Do not be swayed by the opinions of others, nor by your own emotions. Look within for guidance.

You can order your own Spiral Tarot directly from my website. This is one of my favorite decks of all time!

Upcoming Events and Tour Dates

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 2 Issue 29
July 17, 2019